Australian Woodsmith - Issue 17 7 2023

AUSTRALIAN
PROJECTS • PLANS • EXPERT TECHNIQUES • STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
Spliced
Puzzle
Joint
PLUS!
• Maleny Wood Expo
• Sunshine Coast WOOTHA prize
• Glue line joints
• Hanging doors WINNER!
• Stanley No 52
Tiny Treasures p20
ISSUE. 177 | $11.50

ISSN 1441-0311
05
9 771441 031014 Bowl design p58 Serpentine chest p42 Table saw cabinet p52
Carbatec are helping you clean up this
winter with thousands of savings to be had!
We have something for every woodworker,
on every budget, so be sure to drop into
your local store or catch all the deals online.
Limited quantities for a limited time only.

Take advantage of the opportunity while
you can, and get your workshop ready for
an enjoyable winter retreat!
10 to 50 % OFF thousands of lines must
end on Friday, 30 June.
Need some advice to tackle your next

project? Come and talk to our experts at
your local store or call us toll-free
on 1800 658 111. Visit your local store
or carbatec.com.au
ADELAIDE BRISBANE HOBART MELBOURNE PERTH SYDNEY

08 8362 9111 07 3390 5888 03 6272 8881 03 8549 9999 08 6143 5788 02 9648 6446
C A R B AT E C . C O M . A U
WL520A Classic Wood Lathe WL3040A Professional Wood Lathe
510mm x 910mm Heavy Duty 762mm x 1016mm Heavy Duty
2HP 240V Variable Speed Lathe 3HP 240V Variable Speed Lathe
WL1220A Midi Wood Lathe

320mm x 510mm Heavy Duty
1HP 240V Variable Speed Lathe
Woodturning Tools + Machinery
4Pce Woodturning System 5Pce Woodturning System Woodturning Tool Roll Holder
ith arbide nsert u ers ith arbide nsert u ers 19 Tool Pockets / Holders
Water Repellent Heavy Duty Nylon Fabric
WFT70-800 WFT0011 WF19001
woodfastmachinery.com.au
AUTHORISED AUSTRALIAN DEALERS
VIC WA | NT | TAS | ACT | SA NSW QLD
JC Walsh Carroll’s Woodcraft Azmax Beyond Tools Trend Timbers Timberbits The Hobbyist Timber Woodwork Machinery Plus Gregory Machinery
03 9335 5033 Supplies 0409 991 917 08 9209 7400 02 4577 5277 02 4577 5277 Supply Store 07 3705 8558 07 3375 5100
03 5243 0522 0409 991 917
jcwalsh.com.au cwsonline.com.au beyondtools.com trendtimbers.com.au timberbits.com thehobbyisttimbersupplystore.com woodworkmachinery.com.au gregmach.com
contents
No. 177 July 2023
42 36
Departments
from our readers
Tips & Techniques ............................ 6
what’s new
Cool Tools, Books and Gear ...........12
MTC small router plane, Nextool Black Knight pliers,
Work Sharp Benchstone sharpener, Silica gel canisters &
Woodland Craft.
all about 20
Maleny Wood Expo.........................16
Sunshine Coast WOOTHA Prize .......18
Tiny Treasures ................................ 20
woodwork techniques
Reversible Glueline Joint ............... 22
Installing a Pre-Hung Door ............. 26
details of craftsmanship
Rebuilding a Stanley No 52 ........... 66 22
finishing room
A New Angle on Chamfer Bits .......... 68
Q&A
58
Heading Screws & Wedges ............... 70
Letting Light Through ....................... 71
Bandsaw Blade Tooth Count............. 74
Sources .......................................... 73
Final Details ................................... 75
4 • Australian Woodsmith / No. 177
from the editor
Sawdust
Driving north from Sydney to
52 Maleny for the Sunshine Coast
WOOTHA Prize ceremony had
me enjoying the pockets of ancient
Gondwana Rainforests that are
Projects now protected as national parks. A thought that came to mind was
that wood is solid sunshine and that some of the ancient trees in these
weekend project
spectacular rainforests have fossilised the sunshine that shone on
Spliced Puzzle Joint.................................30 them a thousand years ago! It seemed appropriate that The Sunshine
Impossible dovetails explained. Coast was the main sponsor for the richest woodworking prize in
Australia. On pages 16-21 you can read about the Maleny Wood Expo
designer series project and the prize winners in the four categories. The Sunshine Coast
Casual Coffee Table .......................... 36 WOOTHA Prize was won by Derek Calderwood with his amazing
The weathered finish sets the tone. Queensland maple sideboard. Derek is a chemical engineer whose
introduction to woodworking was to buy a Stanley No 7 plane for $35
heirloom project at a garage sale four years ago. He then went about building a shed,
a bench and then a tool cabinet, honing his skills via print media,
Serpentine Chest .............................. 42 YouTube and woodworking forums. His first piece of furniture was
A stripped down design classic. a coffee table, the second a whiskey cabinet and his third was the
sideboard for his kids' playdough and toys that won the WOOTHA.
workshop project Two weeks before the competition he removed the plywood back and
Table Saw Cabinet ............................ 52 installed panels so the sideboard would look good from every angle.
A clever use of a limited space. A very humble Derek was on hand to collect his certificate. Well done
and what an inspiration.
woodturning
Happy Woodworking!
Exploring Bowl Design ..................... 58
Lips, bases and beads.
AUSTRALIAN
Chris Clark, Editor
®
➥ FREE Email Tips Australian Woodsmith acknowledges the Cammeraygal people,

Traditional Custodians of the land on which this publication is produced,
Go to www.australianwoodsmith.com.au and follow the and pay our respects to their Elders past and present. We extend that
prompts to register. Each week you’ll receive a new respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.
e-tip directly to your inbox. It’s free, but don’t worry,
we won’t bombard you with advertising or pass your This symbol lets you know there's information online at:
details on to anyone else. We just hope you’ll tell your www.australianwoodsmith.com.au. There you'll see bonus cutting
friends about Australian Woodsmith. diagrams, articles on techniques, jigs and a lot more. If you don't
have access to the internet, contact us on (02) 9439 1955.
www.australianwoodsmith.com.au • 5
TIPS FROM OUR READERS
AUSTRALIAN
No. 177 July 2023

PUBLISHER Ian Brooks
EDITOR Chris Clark
TECHNICAL EDITOR Mark Jones
DESIGNER Julitta Overdijk
SUBSCRIPTION MANAGER Julie Hughes
PARAGON MEDIA PTY LIMITED

ABN 49 097 087 860
Suite 14, Level 2/174 Willoughby Road, Crows Nest
NSW 2065
PO Box 81, St Leonards, NSW 1590
tel. 02 9439 1955
EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES
editor@paragonmedia.com.au
ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES
sales@paragonmedia.com.au
tel. 02 9439 1955
INTERNATIONAL EDITOR Bryan Nelson

EDITORIAL STAFF Vincent Ancona, Robert Kemp,
Phil Huber, Wyatt Meyers,
EXECUTIVE ART DIRECTOR Todd Lambirth

ARTISTIC STAFF Harlan V. Clark, Dirk Ver Steeg,
Peter J. Larson, Bob Zimmerman, Becky Kralicek
FOUNDING PUBLISHER Donald Peschke
Australian Woodsmith is published eight times a year
under agreement by Paragon Media Pty Limited. Copyright©
2023 Cruz Bay Publishing, Inc., an Active Interest Media com-
pany. All rights reserved. This publication may not be repro-
Tips & Techniques

duced in whole or part without written permission of the
publisher. Originally published and distributed by Cruz Bay
Publishing, Inc. Woodsmith® and ShopNotes® Magazine by
Cruz Bay Publishing, Inc., Des Moines, Iowa, USA. Cruz Bay
Publishing, Inc. Woodsmith® and ShopNotes® Magazines is
a registered trademark of Cruz Bay Publishing, Inc.
ISSN 1441-0311
EASY, ACCURATE BISCUIT SLOTS Distributed by Are Direct Pty Limited
Biscuits keep parts aligned during an easy way to add biscuits — just turn
a glue-up and provide a bit of extra it on and plunge. They work well when
strength to a project. A biscuit joiner is slotting ends and edges, but keeping
them square on the face of a piece can SAFETY IN THE WORKSHOP
be tricky. Without a reference, it’s hard Safety devices, such as riving knives, guards on table
saws and guards over router bits have been delib-
to hold the joiner directly perpendicu-
erately left out of the line drawings in Australian
lar to the piece, and an off-angle cut Woodsmith projects in order to make them easier
will ruin the joint. Luckily, there’s an to follow. It goes without saying that where safety
easy place to get a 90° reference — your devices have been supplied by the manufacturers
router table. you should use them. We encourage the use of push
sticks as good work practice.
Clamp your piece to the router table
Exercise vigilance and the greatest of care when
fence as shown above. By referencing using power tools, whether stationary or portable.
the joiner off the base, you’re ensured Keep all your tools sharp and well maintained. Wear
perpendicular biscuits. To make the protective eyewear, a dust mask and a hearing pro-
mating piece, remove the fence and tector when appropriate. By limiting distractions and
developing safe work practices you will go a long way
clamp it to the table, then cut the bis-
to avoiding workshop accidents. So, work safe fellow
cuit slot. Phil Huber woodworkers. -Editor

V-SHAPED BENCH DOGS
6 a.
I get a lot of use out of my bench dogs, shallow “V” allows the head to grip
but they don’t always cooperate with round workpieces, while the dowel fits
odd shapes. When it came time to rout into the dog holes of the bench. A hex bolt
a round piece, I made these bench dogs runs through the head and the length of
to hold it. the dowel with a counterbore in the top.
The head of each dog is just a shaped A washer and lock nut thread on the bot-
block of plywood that’s counterbored tom hold everything together. TOP VIEW
to accept a short length of dowel. The Marc Anderson
Discover the joy of carving

with the world’s best
laminated edges.
JTA is proud to offer the
largest range of Japanese
carving tools outside of the
land of the rising sun.
www.japanesetools.com.au
DOWEL CUTTING SLED

Cutting dowel pins can be tedious, through the sizing block of the same base’s end, glue up the sled.
but a simple sled speeds things up. diameter as the dowels you’ll be To use the sled, first cut a kerf to
This sled doesn’t take long to make, cutting. determine length of the dowels. Push
and even has a tray to keep the cutoffs Next, cut the tray sides to width, but a dowel through the hole in the sliding
corralled. leave them as one extra-long blank. block until it's flush with the end and
Begin by cutting the fence, sizing Bevel the top, then cut and mitre the make the cut. Repeat for as many as
block and base to size. Drill a hole pieces. Once they fit neatly on the you need. Len Urban
GIFKINS DOVETAIL The only Australian made dovetail jig!

WWW.GIFKINS.COM.AU
COL HOSIE BOXMAKER
ON YOUTUBE
SEE OUR SESSIONS LIVE,
10AM SUNDAYS
Col will share his expertise and clever innovations Business
in our relaxed and interactive sessions. for sale
USE THE QR CODE TO VIEW OUR CHANNEL 0411 283 802

QUICK TIPS
EASY-APPLY
EPOXY
I use a G-clamp to
get the most out
of two-part epoxy
syringes. Slowly
twisting the clamp
LAMINATE SNIPPING down gives you
precise control of
I don't just use tin snips for tin.
how much epoxy
Materials like laminate can be dif-
you need, and in the
ficult to cut down to size, but tin
right proportions as
A handy tray catches the dowel pins, snips work well on any tough yet
well. Bob Bartek
preventing them from rolling off the table flexible material. Tom Mason
or into the blade.
www.lie-nielsen.com.au
Heirloom Quality Tools® Ph: 0418 842 974
"Solid tools giving excellent results in the most demanding conditions. Fit and finished precisely, all Lie-Nielsen
planes are ready for use right out of the box. Any minimal honing required via our sharpening products."
ROUTER SPANNER &
COLLET HOLDER
Finding spanners or collets in a crowded
drawer can be annoying. To make sure
they’d always be easily at hand when I’m
working at the router table, I made this
drawer insert.
I started by gluing up the top and
base, then sizing them to fit snugly in my
drawer. Once dry, I routed two slots for my
spanners, making the slots deeper where
the heads would sit. Next, I drilled holes
for my 6.4mm and 12.7mm collets, plus
two more to make room to grab the span-
ners. Lastly, I put a chamfer around all of
the slots and holes.
Colton West
CORD KEEPER
I had about a dozen extension cords and hold the cords, all I had to do was hook the
hoses in my workshop that needed to be bungee loop around the ball. Now I store
organised. My solution is shown above. my extra hoses and extension cords on the
I drilled a series of holes along a board, wall, keeping them from devolving into
about every 300mm, then cut a trench the tangled mess I used to dig through.
behind each hole. I ran bungee loops Mark De Cain
through the holes (as shown in the inset
photo) to act as holders. Trenches provide room for the bungee loops
The trenches provide room for the bun- to wrap around. The ball holds the loop in
gees to loop around. Then I used a few place, while the bungee can be pulled across
screws to mount the board to the wall. To to hold up the cords and ropes.
YOUR ONE STOP SHOP FOR ALL YOUR WOODCR AFT SUPPLIES
BeaverCraft Bear Carving Kit

Order you
Carroll’s Woodcraft Supplies is now stocking a range r
kit today! Made in Ukraine
of the BeaverCraft carving tools and accessories.
Founded in 2014 in the Ukraine, the company is working hard to earn the
trust of woodcarvers around the world as a manufacturer of quality tools at
competitive prices.
BeaverCraft uses high carbon, hardened steel blades, solid wooden
handles and strong leather sheaths. The growing range has a wide selection
of tools to help you carve beautifully.
Carroll’s Woodcraft Supplies Unit 2, 10-14 Capital Drive, Grovedale, Vic 3216
Ph: (03) 5243 0522 | www.cwsonline.com.au/shop/category/beavercraft-carving-tools
WHAT'S NEW
600-grit plate that further refines the

edge. You finish the sharpening by hon-
ing on the white ceramic plate. No water
or oil is required with this system. It is as
WORK SHARP BENCHSTONE SHARPENER easy as that! If you are honing a curved
Work Sharp manufactures a wide range so that the honing angle can be either 20° knife, you unlock the plate (the red slide
of sharpening systems for both knives or 25°. You rest the knife on the guide on the base), and allow the plate to swing
and axes. This little benchtop model is and then draw it across the plate. The free as you guide the blade across the
designed for the kitchen and not the Benchstone plate has three sides and abrasive. The system is intuitive and easy
workshop (however you can hone chis- gives you the choice of a coarse 320 grit to use. No more blunt knives (or scissors)
els on it with ease). The pre-set yellow diamond plate to remove chips and to in the kitchen. Available from Tool King
angle guides at each end can be reversed set a new honing angle, followed by a (toolking.com.au).
Cool Tools, Books and Gear

MELBOURNE TOOL COMPANY SMALL ROUTER PLANE
The guys at the Melbourne Tool Company have gone back to first
principles and designed this amazingly little powerhouse from the
ground up. The base of this little router is cast in one piece, honed flat,
and has a footprint of 93 x 74mm. The beautifully machined adjust-
ment knobs make the router look like a little creature and just ask you
to use it as a paperweight in between times! The standard 6mm blade
locks tight in its groove and has no hint of vibration as it cleans out
trenches and refines grooves. The hefty 425gram weight of the plane
gives it momentum when you are using it, while the organic cast
shape welcomes your thumbs to settle in just the right spot when you
use the tool. There are five additional blades that have been machined
in 1mm increments, allowing the tool to be used for refined work as
well as robust cleaning up of joints (melbournetool.com).

SILICA GEL CANISTERS
Little paper packs of silica gel are com- The canisters are designed to slip There are many uses for these clever
monly found in the packaging of items into plastic bags full of shotgun shells little canisters. You can pop a couple in
that might spoil or rust if exposed to so that the gunpowder remains dry your chisel or plane drawer and know
moisture. They are disposable and usu- and reliable. The silica gel absorbs any that they will keep rust at bay. You can
ally have a message printed on them say- moisture in the bag and locks it down pop one in your telescope or binocular
ing “Do Not Eat”. These clever 110 x 55 in the gel. When the window in the box and know that the optics will not be
x 12mm aluminium canisters are filled middle changes to green all you do is spoilt by mildew or moisture. The canis-
with the same silica gel and have the mes- pop into a warm oven until the win- ters are widely available online and pric-
sage IF GREEN. REACTIVATE 3 HOURS dow turns orange. es range from $10 to $20 (ebay.com.au).
at 250F (125°C).
2 / 57 Malvern Street,
Frontline Panel Clamps Bayswater VIC 3153

Phone 0402 119 066
fax (03) 8288 1443
www.frontlineengineering.com.au email info@frontlineengineering.com.au
PROBLEMS GLUING BOARDS TOGETHER THEN THIS IS WHAT YOU NEED!!
THE TRADITIONAL WAY?
Bowed thin, warped or twisted boards. Poor & • Increasing productivity
uneven glue joins. Skilled labour is a thing of the past. NEW! by 400%.
• No skilled labour required.
• Cost effective.
• Saves time & materials.
• Perfect panels every time.
Standard Sizes
920mm – 1220mm opening
(Anodised Aluminium)
• 920mm Clamps
$340+GST each
Pressing both sides of the boards • 1220mm Clamps
simultaneously, all you have to do is turn the
handle and these amazing clamps do the rest. $360+GST each
WHAT'S NEW
charcoal. Industrialisation took the craft

out of most communities and had the
workforce move to the cities to gain em-
ployment.
Ben Law has been an advocate for a sim-
pler, more sustainable lifestyle and has
championed the re-wooding of wood-
lands in England. This delightful book is
encyclopaedic when it comes to what can
be done with a well-managed woodland
and how it benefits the human soul as well
as the environment.
Chapter 1 introduces the woodland as a
resource that needs to be managed and re-
spected. Chapter two details the ten most
common tree species found in Britain and
what each tree is best used for. Chapter 3
is dedicated to crafts for the farm and gar-
den, 4 is all about fuel, 5 is about making
shingles and shakes, timber framing and
how to make a yurt. Chapter 6 is dedicat-
ed to domestic crafts and takes you step-
by-step through the carving of spoons,
the making of a stool as well as several
WOODLAND CRAFT chairs. The final chapter is dedicated to
In simpler times European and British the tools required for the craft and the ma-
landscapes would have been dotted with chines that can be crafted from woodland
managed woodlands that supplied the lo- lathes, poles and logs. Published by GMC
cal communities with baskets and brooms, Publications (gmcbooks.com/woodland-
rakes and chairs as well as firewood and craft/).
$289 $1399 $200
$29
Midi Wood Lathe 5Pce Woodturning System
320mm x 510mm Heavy Duty ith arbide nsert u ers
1HP 240V Variable Speed Lathe WFT0011 #8001297
WL1220A #8001555
4Pce Woodturning System Woodturning Tool Roll Holder

19 Tool Pockets / Holders
ith arbide nsert u ers
Water Repellent Heavy Duty Nylon Fabric
WFT70-800 #8001790
woodfastmachinery.com.au WF19001 #8001061
WƌŝĐŝŶŐĐŽƌƌĞĐƚĂƚƟŵĞŽĨƉƌŝŶƟŶŐ͕ŚŽǁĞǀĞƌƐƵďũĞĐƚƚŽĐŽŶĮƌŵĂƟŽŶ͘

NEXTOOL BLACK KNIGHT
MULTIFUNCTION PLIERS
Multifunction tools are usually Jacks of all
trades and masters of none! What makes
this multitool stand out from the rest is how
sturdy the build is and how well the snips
cut. Plus, the needle nose pliers are finely
made, while both the saw and the blade
lock firmly in position when opened (and
unlock easily with finger pressure on the
locking clip). The case that houses the tool
has a pocket that contains nine different
drivers that can be attached to the Phillips
head screwdriver on the end of the handle.
The tool also has a straight bladed driver
that incorporates a bottle opener and a file.
The clip on the tool means that you can car-
ry it on your belt. The case the tool comes in
can also be carried on a belt or tossed into
the glove box or backpack. Available online
from Amazon.com.au.
Helps prevent costly damage

to woodshop equipment
A powerful, precision automatic tuning

metal detector made for woodworking
The Lumber Wizard 5 is the latest version of Wizard Industries’
ÀDJVKLSZRRGZRUNLQJPHWDOGHWHFWRUZLWK³/DVHUOLQH´WHFKQRORJ\
A powerful precision hand-held metal detector designed
VSHFL¿FDOO\IRUZRRGZRUNHUVKHOSVGHWHFWVPDOOPHWDOREMHFWV
hidden inside new or used timber. This new version #5 features Only $246
³$XWRPDWLF7XQLQJ´WKDWDOORZVIDVW¿QHUWXQLQJIRUPRUH (plus P&H $
25)
precise detection in all conditions Laser-Line Visual Indication
8QGHWHFWHGQDLOVVFUHZVRURWKHUPHWDOIUDJPHQWVFDQGDPDJH
H[SHQVLYHMRLQWHUSODQHUDQGVDZEODGHV(DV\WRXVHWKH/XPEHU )XOO\$XWRPDWLF7XQLQJ 4XLFNO\VFDQDQ\VL]HZRRG
:L]DUGKHOSVZRRGZRUNHUVSUHYHQWHTXLSPHQWGDPDJHDQG • Bright laser-line indicator 1RWDIIHFWHGE\PRLVWXUHFRQWHQW
SHUVRQDOLQMXU\7KHXQLWLQFOXGHVDEHHSWRQHDOHUWDOORZLQJ +HOSVSLQSRLQWQDLOVVFUHZV of wood
use of the Lumber Wizard #5 with or without the laser activated. bullets and wire inside new or ´PPZLGHVFDQQLQJDUHD
The Lumber Wizard has received enthusiastic reviews from used lumber 'XUDEOHVWXUG\SODVWLFFDVLQJ
ZRRGZRUNHUVDQGPDJD]LQHVDFURVVWKHFRXQWU\IRURYHU\HDUV +HOSVSUHYHQWFRVWO\EODGH 2QHYROWEDWWHU\UHTXLUHG
and the new version #5 is even better with these new features! damage and shop down time \HDUZDUUDQW\
HUGE range of Spiral Cutter Retro-fits currently available. &DOORUHPDLOXVWRILQGD6SLUDO&XWWHUWRVXLW\RXUPDFKLQH
R.D.G. INTERNATIONAL AGENCIES

Phone: (07) 4129 4644 or 0418 184 048
Email: rdg@bigpond.com
Web: www.woodcraftsupplies.net.au
ALL ABOUT
Maleny
Wood
Expo
The largest
woodworking event
Colin Miller. Doves in Love. Eight pieces of termite-eaten dead wood cast with resin and
in Australia continues joined at the tail with a dovetail joint.
to impress!
The Maleny Wood Expo "from seed to

fine furniture" was established in 1996
and has grown to become the biggest
woodworking event on the Australian
calendar.
One reason for this is The Sunshine
Coast WOOTHA Prize of a mighty
$10,000 for the piece of fine craft that
is deemed by the judges to be without
peer. There are also three other prizes
of $2,500 to be won in the categories of Simon Begg. Dovetail German ring turning. Camphor Laurel. This clever turning process is
Furniture, Sculpture and Tiny Treasures. perfectly suited to the production of wooden toys.
The event is hosted by Barung
Landcare on the premise that sustain- ring above is a tour-de-force of turning
able production and biodiversity con- technique and is truly awesome.
servation can be complementary pro- Three judges spent Friday morning
cesses. By walking the walk for so many with their clipboards looking for the
years Barung Landcare helped the re- winners and followed the criteria listed
gion to gain international recognition in below:
2022 as a UNESCO biosphere. Furniture that rejoices in all aspects of
furniture making, traditional and con-
THE COMPETITION temporary, design, artistry and innova-
Every second year the WOOTHA prize tion. Sculpture that highlights carving to
has a theme. The theme for 2023 was its fullest extent from the delicate to the
"Dovetails" and was open to be inter- robust, abstract to representational. And
preted as the woodworking joint, a dove "Tiny Treasures" that celebrate works of
and its tail or a tale in its own right. As smaller dimensions that are big on de-
you can see to the left, David Harrimam sign and craftspersonship - beautifully
carved his Pa's spurs. The original leath- designed and exquisitely crafted.
er strap that holds the spurs in place is While judging these categories they
called a "dovetail spur strap" hence the also kept a weather eye out for the
link to the competion. overall winner of the Sunshine Coast
David Harriman. Pa's Spurs. Huon pine The amazing "Doves in Love" by Colin WOOTHA prize.
and salvaged Radiata pine. The spur strap is Miller are linked by a dovetail joint at the That same evening (after a welcome to
the dovetail link to the competion. base of their tails. The Dovetail German country) the winners were announced.

Matty G cutting to the line and working Three hours later and a full scale carving of Dave Johnson (DidgEra) captivating
his magic with one of his STIHL chainsaws. his dog emerges from the camphor log. the crowds with his didg, saxophone, hand
drum and flute.
A COUNTRY SHOW
The three-day Expo itself began in ear- Small boats were on display as well as
nest on Saturday morning. The Visitors' tiny houses. There were 19 different
Map listed 110 stalls around the show- workshops and activities on offer, from
ground and in the pavilions. Most of spoon making to walks along the creek
these were dedicated to woodwork in to see platypuses at play.
one form or another. Carbatec, Japanese By 11am Saturday morning the car-
Tools Australia, Vermec, C & L Tool Cen- park was full! I have never seen so many
tre, Boatcraft Pacific and Arbortec were people at any expo or wood show. The
just a handful of the stalls that were sell- team that put the show together deserve
ing tools and equipment. high praise for the organisation of the
The most popular type of stall were weekend and the blending of so many
the ones selling planks, boards and raw different woody and environmental el-
slabs of timber. ements, food trucks, excellent entertain-
Live music from the Maleny Music Tent ment and perfect weather together.
wafted across the showground as hungry After three years of COVID lock-
visitors queued in lines at the food trucks downs everybody was in a mood to cel- Mountain Mushrooms had kits on offer
offering a wide variety of cuisines. ebrate creativity in its many guises. plus logs innoculated with Shiitake spores.
Gerald Rensen from Jesse Engineering showcased his clever ball

turning jig and the special tungsten carbide extension arms crafted The "Jellyshake" stall was brimming with all you need to make your
specifically for Aussie timbers. own electric guitar.
ALL ABOUT
Sunshine Coast
Wootha Prize Winners
Australia's richest woodworking prize has been on sabatical for three COVID
years. WOOTHA 2023 showcased amazing talent and awesome craftsmanship.
After the winners of the Tiny Treasures, The following day I caught up with
Furniture and Sculpture prizes were an- Derek and discussed his cabinet. The
nounced the overall winner of the WOO- amazing chatoyance in the book-
THA prize was made known. A very matched door panels was achieved with
humbled and surprised Derek Calder- a wet sanding process using Danish
wood made his way through the crowd Organoil and a series of grit sizes up to
in the Main Pavilion and accepted his 600, followed by careful buffing. Derek
certificate. expained the name Lautissimum is the
gender neutral Latin adjective for clean,
LAUTISSIMUM elegant, refined. He then went on to re-
As you can see above "Lautissimum" is inforce that he felt very humbled win-
a sideboard crafted from Queensland ning the WOOTHA and that there were
maple with more than just a nod to mid some spectacular pieces in the competi-
century design influences. The Artist's tion with some very impressive displays
Statement on the piece read: Cabinet car- of craftsmanship - many examples of
cass is made from a single, re-sawn and book- skills and techniques he is yet to try or
matched board of quarter-sawn stock. The master. He was honoured to have his
cabinet interlocks the base which is a wedged work in the same category as some of
mortice and tenon construction for strength these makers.
and visual effect. Finished externally with Not bad for a self-taught woodwork-
Danish oil and all internal surfaces are waxed er who made his first piece just five
for protection. years ago!

FURNITURE PRIZE traordinary. The outer fan of twelve
Garan Hale won the $2,500 Furniture feathers is cleverly book-matched on
prize with his stunning Stella stool. contrasting spines (they really do look
The Artist's Statement on the stool like feathers!). Adding an inner fan of
read: A dovetail inlayed into the seat of a six smaller feathers complements the
stool. Three-legged breakfast bar stool using outer fan and adds contrast and depth
laminated, carved, inlayed and turned com- to the piece. The skill and time to craft
ponents. these feathers and then to inlay them
The detail in the feathers is just ex- into a curved "tractor" seat is just awe-
some. The seat itself is beautifully
carved and looks good from every
angle. The wedged legs and the lami-
nated foot rail complete the picture,
creating a stunning piece that is both
stable and playful.
SCULPTURE PRIZE
The $2500 Sculpture prize was won
by Robert Howard with his amazing
Lily Light.
The Artist's Statement read- I have at-
tempted to carve a very delicate light shade,
as delicate as a dove's tail, thin enough to
become translucent (like a feather) when
Robert Howard. Lily Light. Recovered

Huon Pine Sustainable Timber Tasmania.
the light is switched on. I estimate that this

will require it to be, in the most part, around
2mm thick. The shape of the light is like an
upside down Lily. It will be entirely hand
carved, using traditional gouges and chisels.
When I first saw the shade I thought
it was steam bent over a luthier's bend-
ing iron. Just incredible that the shade
is carved by hand. The use of dovetail
keys to stop the propagation of the crack
turns a flaw into a design feature. All
the elements work in harmony togeth-
er. The counterweight and the fittings
contrast perfectly with the translucent
Huon pine.
Turn the page to see who won the
Tiny Treasures prize.
Garan Hale. Stella.

Red Cedar, River
Oak, White Cedar,
White Beech, Tulip
Oak, Blue Quandong,
Silver Ash, Silky Oak
and pigeonberry Ash.
Winner of the WOOTHA
Furniture prize. Butterfly dovetails lock the crack in the
2mm-thick translucent Huon Pine.
ALL ABOUT
Tiny
Treasures
Australian
Woodsmith proudly
sponsored the
$2500 WOOTHA
Tiny Treasures prize.
TINY TREASURES PRIZE

The genius behind the Tiny Treasure com-
petition is that it opens up the WOOTHA
prize to creative makers across this wide The entries to the competition were
brown land and challenges them to distil many and varied and of exceptional qual-
their creativity into a standard Australia ity, however the judges were unanimous
Post-box and post it to Maleny. No need in awarding the Tiny Treasures prize to
to make the pilgrimage and hire a trailer Hape Kiddle for his delightful netsuke
to deliver the project, just a description of carving of Storm Boy and Mr Percival.
the idea, an acknowledgment that it fits The carving reflects the spirit of Barung
the criteria and the Maleny crew will post Landcare, it has man and nature working
Hape's netsuke carving of Storm Boy cuddling
you a post-it pack! The standard size in together, different species being at one
Mr Percival won the Tiny Treasures prize.
2019 was 130 x 130 x 110. That standard when it comes to looking after the planet.
has since changed, however the folk at Hape Kiddle is one of Australia's most
the Wood Expo have purchased years preeminant carvers in wood. He can do in Issue 148) and is fast becoming a rec-
worth of Post-It packs and will stay with huge and small with the same aplomb. ognised leader in his creative space.
the size limit for the next couple of years. Hape is a gifted teacher (we profiled him The Artist's Statement that was posted
next to his piece read: A dovetail is the
bringing together of two different materials
to make one form. The pelican (in the story
of Storm Boy) is rescued by the child and in
the ongoing relationship rescues the boy from
loneliness. Their relationship is a dovetailing
of necessity. A deep bonding of two very dif-
ferent creatures. By extension I hope to speak
to the need of developing such a relationship
with the living world. To dovetail in.
Hape himself has spent his life "dove-
tailing in" to nature and has a passion to
share his insights with anybody inter-
ested in his online and person-to-person
courses. The netsuke carving of Storm
Boy and Mr Percival is crafted from
leftover boxwood from an instrument
maker. Australian Woodsmith is honoured
to hand over a cheque to such a wonder-
fully creative and generous spirit!

Andrew Warwick. 80th Birthday Box. Donal Kelman. Cage of Balls in Gidgee Brian Dawson. Wee Treasure Box.
Red Cedar & Gum, Silky Oak, Jarah, and Leopard wood. A tour-de-force Red Cedar and NZ Kauri. Dovetails in
Huon Pine. of technique. every direction.
AWESOME ACHIEVEMENTS
As you can see on these pages there was Brian Dawson crafted a beguilingly
a wide range of interpretations in regard beautiful Wee Treasure Box that played
to the Tiny Treasures challenge. with the shape of a dovetail.
Ian Wilkie used two of the miniature Donal Kelman is truly a woodwork-
planes that he crafted to make the spalt- ing genius who poured many hours into
ed mango and jacaranda presentation the crafting of balls inside balls. The fin-
case to house the tools in. ish and the technique is second to none.
Andrew Allen hand cut each dovetail Just amazing!
in his box of 260 pieces. The inside of the Andrew Warwick's 80th Birthday Box
box is just as beautiful as the outside. celebrates the colours of Australian tim-
Hana (aged 12) and her dad Steven bers in a delightful way.
did a great job crafting an owl out of ash The challenge for next year's winner
and redgum. will be to create a beautifully designed
Robin Cromer ticked lots of boxes and exquisitely crafted piece that stuns
Robin Cromer. Of Doves and Tail. Silver
with the four boxes he created as a the judges. The competition will be
Ash, Queensland Walnut, Huon Pine, Red
showcase of both clever techniques and open themed and is bound to be im-
Cedar & Rose Mahogany. Beautifully refined
dovetail joinery. pressive.
and proportioned joinery.
Hana and Steven Gould. Dad and Daughter Andrew Allen. Dovetail Patterned. Old Ian Wilkie. Treasure Trio. Spalted Mango
Double Dovetail Owl in ash and redgum. Man Banksia, Mahogany. 260 pieces in total! and Jacaranda. Awesome detail and refinement.
Reversible
WOODWORK TECHNIQUES
Glue Joint Bit
Big panels can be a pain. Keeping all the one we’re looking at here is a reversible
pieces of a tabletop flush during a glue- glue joint bit. The name comes from how
up can take almost every clamp in the the joints go together: simply flip a piece
workshop. And if that surface doesn’t and the edge fits right into its mating joint.
end up entirely smooth, a planer won’t WHY USE A GLUE JOINT BIT? The glue joint
solve the problem. The only option then bit pictured at left creates a tongue and
is to break out the hand planes and get groove on each edge. This allows it to
ready for a workout. register with the piece beside it, making
There’s a simple solution I’ve found for it far easier to keep everything straight
these big panels: a reversible glue joint while gluing and clamping a panel. While
The reversible glue joint bit cuts both sides bit. The joint it leaves ensures the panels I wouldn’t use this bit for every glued
of the joint from the same position on the lock in place and remain flush. There are panel, the joints made become more help-
router table. a couple of types of glue joint bits, but the ful the bigger your panel is.

Align the Centres. Set the bit height so the
centreline of the workpieces and the glue joint
bit (usually below the “tooth”) match up.
JOINT QUALITY. A reversible glue joint joint bit, first make sure all your pieces are workpiece. Unless you’ve got luck on
doesn’t add much to a panel’s strength. planed to equal thickness. While planing your side today, it’s going to take some
Glued-up panels are already quite strong your pieces, plane a few extra test pieces finetuning to reach the correct height,
when simply butting the edges together. as well. As you’ll see on the next page, the but simply marking the centreline on the
The long fibres of wood hold firmly when adjustments needed can be quite minute. piece and eyeballing the bit height will
glued together. It’s a common saying that You could make a number of test pieces work for now.
the wood itself will break before the joint to help you dial in the bit height, or a few FENCE. Use a ruler to help set the fence,
does. While I can’t say I’ve put this theory extra-wide ones that you can trim the like you see in the photo below. The key
to the test, I’ve never seen anything to edge off of if it doesn’t fit. is a spacer attached to the outfeed side
contradict it. BIT HEIGHT. When setting up the router of your router fence to support the piece
The glue joint bit shines when it table, you’ll need to make sure the cen- after the waste is removed. I clamped a
comes to aligning joints and keeping treline of the bit aligns with the centreline thin scrap of brass to the fence for this.
them flush throughout a glue-up. While of your pieces, as shown in the drawing From here, the fence should be set so the
the initial set-up can take some work, it above. For most reversible glue joint bits, spacer sits flush with the innermost edge
pays off during assembly. the centre is right below the “tooth” of of the cutter on the bit. This will be where
SET-UP. When getting ready to use a glue the cutter that forms the groove in the the tongue is cut on the workpiece. Setting
these to match ensures the spacer catches
the workpiece and prevents it from snip-
ing at the end of the cut.
KEEPING STRAIGHT. When using a glue joint
bit, I recommend you cut the joints
and glue up the panel right after sizing
and planing the pieces. I usually find
myself working with long pieces when
using these joints, as even a little warp-
ing can keep the joints from lining up
with each other.
On the flip side, the glue-jointed edges
will pull together easily once they do line
up. The angles of the tongues and grooves
that the bit makes slide in place with each
other as they’re clamped, pulling them
into alignment. This saves a lot of clamps,
as you’ll no longer need one on each mat-
ing edge to keep the panel flush.
ROUTING. Now it’s time to rout. Start with
the test pieces, marking out their cen-
trelines and setting the router bit accord-
ingly. Mark the test pieces so you’ll know
Attach a thin spacer, such as a plate of brass, to the router fence, then use a ruler to set how the bit needs adjusting, then cut
the fence’s depth. Set the fence so the spacer is at the same depth as the innermost edge them. Now check the fit and flip to the
of the cutter. next page to finetune the joint.
Dialling In the Fit
1 1 2
FINDING THE HEIGHT

Now the real work of using a reversible
glue joint bit starts. You may go through a
number of test pieces while you find the Too Low? If you find your first test piece sits lower than the second one you cut,
perfect fit, but once you’ve routed a good the bit is too high. Lower the bit to begin dialling in the correction.
joint, remember to keep the pieces.
DIAGNOSIS. The first step is to see how the
joint fits. You can see my marking system
at right, and it’s pretty simple. I mark the
first edge I cut as 1, then I mark the second 2 1 2
edge as 2, knowing it needs to be flipped
to fit with the first. By fitting the two test
pieces together and using the illustration,
you can see how to “dial in” the fit. As
I mentioned before, make small adjust- Too High? If the surface of the first piece sits proud of the second, the bit is too
ments when setting the height. Since the low. Raise the bit, then make another set of cuts to check your progress.
pieces reverse to fit together, any adjust-
ment you make is effectively doubled.
LOWER THE BIT. In Figure 1 in the drawings
at right, the first piece cut sits lower than
the second one. This means the bit is too 3 1 2
high. Lower the bit slightly, then make
another set of test cuts.
Remember how far you turned the
crank, and compare it to how much the
Gapped Joint. If you’re finding space between your test pieces when you fit
offset was adjusted. This is a good way
the joints together, then your fence needs to be adjusted. Move the fence back
to begin gauging how to adjust the router
slightly.
bit. Paying attention to this will make your
subsequent adjustments go quicker.
RAISING THE BIT. If you find the first piece
sits higher than the second, then you face
the opposite problem: the bit is too low. 4 1 2
Raise the bit slightly and make another
set of test cuts. Do the same as with low-
ering the bit, paying attention to how far
each adjustment moves the joint on each
piece. Flush Fit. You’ll know you have a perfect joint by look and feel. The joint should
ADJUSTING THE FENCE. If there’s a gap be- slide together firmly but easily, leaving a flush surface with no gap in sight.
tween the tongues and grooves (as you
can see in Figure 3 above), then the
fence is set too deep and the bit isn’t
making a full depth cut. Move the fence too far back, causing the piece to move at A PERFECT FIT. You’ll know you have
back slightly, using the ruler as shown the end of the cut. In this case, move the the perfect fit when the pieces fit flush
on page 23. fence forward. together, with no gap on the surface or
SNIPE. On the flip side, you may find When you adjust the fence, be sure the in the joint. Because of the angle on the
that some pieces have a bit of “snipe” on bit is turned so the cutter is as far forward tongues and grooves, the pieces should
the back end, as you might find when as it can go. Making sure the cutter and slide easily into each other. Set the test
using a planer. You’ll certainly hear and shim are aligned exactly is key to position- pieces aside for future reference and get
feel if it happens. This means the fence is ing the fence properly. ready to rout.

ROUTING FOR REAL
Now the actual pieces can be cut. Chances Rout
are you’ll be gluing up a number of end pieces
on one
boards at once, and there’s a bit of strat- edge only
egy required here. Because this glue joint
mates with its reverse, each inside piece
will be flipped after cutting the first side,
while the end pieces will only have their Rout & Flip.
inner edges routed. You can see this illus- When routing the middle
trated at right. pieces of the assembly, flip each
To be sure I’m routing and assembling piece after routing the first edge,
the pieces as intended, I mark the edges then rout again. I number the
the same way I marked the test pieces: one edges to make sure each side is
for the first side, two for the flipped side. I routed properly, and letter my
also letter the pieces to be sure the interior pieces to keep them in order.
ones don’t get mixed up.
THE GLUE-UP. Once all pieces have been
routed, it’s time for the glue-up. You’ll
find the gluing goes much smoother in the grooves, clamping at the ends will THE “JOINT” IN GLUE JOINT. One nice thing
with these routed edges than with sim- force the boards to sit flush, so no clamps about reversible glue joint bits is that
ple jointed edges. Apply a thin layer of are needed to keep the assembly aligned. when preparing the actual pieces,
glue over the tongues and grooves of After the glue-up, the surface should there’s no need to joint an edge before
each edge. As for clamps, you’ll only be flat (except for squeezeout). Remove you rout it. Because the cutter covers
need them to pull the far ends together. any excess glue and sand the surface for a the whole length of the bit, it will joint
Because of the angle on the tongues and perfectly smooth panel. the piece while it cuts the profile. While
I would reserve this for straighter,
cleaner stock rather than rough timber,
JOINTING & JOINERY this does make these glue joint bits par-
ticularly useful for woodworkers still
building their tool collection, allowing
them to make panels without needing
to have a jointer available.
TOP VIEW While you probably won’t be using a
Fence reversible glue joint bit for every work-
Fence set slightly shop session, it can be a handy bit to have
behind bit
in your arsenal. After dialling in the height,
the bit simplifies large glue-ups and mini-
mises the amount of clamps needed (along
with the stress of getting everything in
Offset place before the glue sets). When a planer
shim
isn’t going to be an option, having a way
Workpiece to ensure the panels stay smooth can be a
godsend.
Using the right tool for a job makes a big
difference in the quality of a project. The
router is a fantastic tool for the number of
Router Jointing. On a reversible glue joint bit, the cutters extend for the whole
jobs it can perform — if you have the right
length of the profile. This allows the bit to joint a piece while it cuts the glue
bits. The reversible glue joint bit is a handy
joint, eliminating the need for a jointer.
tool for tricky glue-ups, and that earns it a
place in my workshop. W
WOODWORK TECHNIQUES
Installing a
Rough
opening Pre-hung door
Head jamb
Strike
jamb
Hinge
jamb Hinge
Hinge
mortise
Trim
studs
Trim carpentry
Door
stops
is a close cousin
of woodworking.
Hanging a door is
the first in a series
of articles exploring
this branch of the
family tree.

Hanging a door is one of the main tasks
of a trim carpenter. Trim carpentry is
woodworking on tour. Like a band on
the road, working outside the controlled
environment of the studio (or your work-
shop) presents new challenges. The main
challenge being that trim carpentry is
woodworking that’s attached to, or inte-
grated with, something larger.
That larger thing in this case is a wall
in your house. Trim carpentry is the art
and craft of blending rough framing and
precise woodworking. It can be a lot of
fun when you know ahead of time the
challenges that you’ll run into and how
to tackle them. Let’s take a look at those
challenges, starting with the anatomy of a
pre-hung door.
A PRE-HUNG DOOR
The main drawing you see on the previ-
ous page lays out all the working parts
of a pre-hung door. What you have is a
wood slab or panel door that’s attached
to a three-sided wood frame. The three
frame parts are the head jamb, hinge jamb
and strike jamb. The door is attached with
hinges to the hinge jamb of the frame. The the room it’s in and let the fellows at the tion we’ll say that the floor is 6mm low on
hinges are mortised into the door and order desk of the home centre, or one-stop the hinge side of the rough opening as is
frame. The hinges hold the door flush to door shop help you figure that out. Sec- shown in the detail above.
one side of the jamb frame. I’ll call this side ond hand doors are also an option. They If you’re working on a finished floor,
the “hinge,” or “reveal,” side of the door. are often made of solid timber and, once such as a hardwood or tile floor, you’ll
On the other side of the pre-hung door filled and painted, can look just as good as need to trim the strike jamb 6mm. If the
are the door stops. (The “stop” side of the a new door. Besides saving some cash you floor is a rough subfloor, you can place a
door.) The door stops prevent the door can also help the planet by reducing the shim under the hinge jamb and remove
from swinging too far into the jamb. The need to plunder rainforests. Also, if you it later.
stops also work in tandem with the door are renovating you can relocate old doors Also, be mindful of the flooring treat-
knob and strike plate to hold the door and reuse them in the new build. When ment that goes on top of a subfloor, you
closed without any rattling. you’ve got your door on site, it’s time to might have to lift the whole pre-hung door
For the sake of simplicity, the door we’re get to work. off the floor to account for carpet and pad.
hanging resides in a standard 90 x 35mm Or you can trim the bottom of the door
wall that is sheathed with 13mm Gyprock. SITE SURVEY later if need be.
This means the jamb width is 118. (It’s Surveying the site, which in this case is the THE WALL SURFACE. The wall on both sides
wider than the wall to help the trim cas- rough opening, means doing a diagnosis of the rough opening must be plumb and
ing fit better.) of the area where you’re going to hang the in plane to each other. If they’re not, the
OTHER DOOR DETAILS. If you’re responsible door. The drawing above shows an exam- jamb will be twisted in the opening. The
for ordering the door to go into the rough ple of what I’m talking about. There are results are that the door will stick out of
opening, an easy way to figure out the two things to focus on in this site survey; the jamb at the top or bottom. So, this is
width is to measure the rough opening the floor, and the side of the rough opening the time to make sure the wall surface is
and subtract 50mm from the measure- where the hinge jamb attaches. Let’s start in plane.
ment. Unless you’re in a very old house with the floor. THE HINGE JAMB. Plumbing the trim stud
2040mm is the standard height of a door. THE FLOOR. For the pre-hung door to oper- that the hinge jamb attaches to is the most
Also, in this article, I won’t go into ate properly it has to be level and plumb important step in this whole process. To
what’s called the “handing” of the door, in the rough opening. So the first thing to get an exact reading on the stud you need
which is about how the door swings. Just check in the rough opening is the level of a level long enough to span the hinges on
take a picture of the existing door and the floor. For the sake of this demonstra- the door.
If you don’t have such a level, you can
extend the reach of your two foot level
with a straightedge like you see in the
drawing on the previous page.
Now as earlier, we’ll say the hinge jamb
is out of plumb at the top by 6mm. So we
need to use shims to bring the framing
back to plumb. Let’s look at shims and
other hardware you need to install a pre-
hung door successfully.
SHIMS & FASTENERS

There are two types of shims that I use in
three different ways. Plate shims are just
75mm square pieces of scrap plywood in
varying thicknesses. A plate shim is used
to aid in plumbing the opening, but also
they give you the option of sliding the
whole door in the rough opening. Techni-
cally, you can do this with wedge shims,
but you’ll use up a lot of them, and they
can be a little unwieldy in the process.
Wedge shims are narrow, tapered pieces
of wood that I’ve cut out of clear stock.
You can buy pre-cut shims that work fine. of shims just to stiffen the jamb. without the door in the jamb. The latter is
These shims, when used in pairs, with the The fasteners used to hold the shims the way I always install solid core doors.
tapers opposing each other, provide you and jamb in place can be traditional finish They’re just too heavy to manoeuvre
with infinite adjustability. nails (8g finish is what I use) or your nail while you’re trying to set the hinge jamb.
I use the wedge shim in two ways. First, gun with 15 gauge, 64mm nails, and 8g x Here, for the sake of clarity, I’ve separated
as anchor shims to lock the hinge jamb in 64mm c/s woodscrews. So, I’ve provided the door from the jamb as you see below.
place. And to provide solid support above you with the basic set-up and tools, now
and below the strike plate on the strike it’s time to install the door. HANG THE DOOR BY THE NUMBERS
jamb. The second use is as support shims. JAMB ONLY. You can install a pre-hung The left drawing below shows the initial
Once the anchor shims are in place, I fill door with the door and the jamb together, preparation of the rough opening and the
the gaps around the jamb with these pairs or, remove the door and install the jamb jamb in place. The floor, under the hinge
jamb leg, has a narrow 6mm shim plate caved, then nail the centre of the hinge hammer. But be careful, hitting the shims
to level the door in the opening. This can jamb to the wall. can knock the jamb loose.
be removed later, when the door is hung. 5 — SCREWS. Now, back at the top hinge
The stud behind the hinge jamb has sev- leaf, replace the upper centre screw with ARCHITRAVE
eral shim plates attached to it. To centre the a long woodscrew. Don’t over-tighten With the door hung it is time to install
door in the opening there are two 9mm the screw. Now that the hinge jamb is the architraves. These mitred boards hide
shim plates attached at the top and bottom securely in place, you can hang the door. away the shims used to fit the jamb itself
of the stud. Then to plumb the door, add 6 — HANG THE DOOR. To make the final into the frame, plus they "frame" the door
the 6mm shim plate at the top. Now let’s adjustments you won’t need your level and invite the eye to seek out the door
walk through the whole process. or your straightedge, you’ll use the door handle.
1— FLUSH FIRST. Start by placing the jamb to finetune the gap between the head and Once you start taking a serious look at
in the opening, you’re going to focus on strike jamb, from the reveal side of the doors, jambs and architraves you will
the hinge jamb side first. Remember, on door. To re-hang the door, take the hinge notice that outside doors, kitchen and
page 27 we did the site survey and found pins in hand and drop them through the bathroom doors have architraves that
that both sides of the wall opening are leaves, starting with the top hinge. hang a couple of mm above the sill, tiles
plumb and parallel to each other. So all 7 — FLUSH FIT. Since you confirmed earlier or door slate. The reason for this is to stop
we have to do here is hold the hinge jamb that the wall is flush, this step should be a water from wicking up the end grain of the
flush to the wall, confirm it’s plumb and breeze. Add shims at the top and bottom architrave and rotting the architrave and
nail it in place of the strike jamb. Adjust them as needed then the jamb itself. W
2 — FIRST FASTENER. Nail the jamb to the to make the gap (reveal) between the door
wall above the top hinge. You can use a and the jamb consistent along the head
screw here as well. Drill a pilot and coun- and down the length of the strike jamb.
tersunk hole first. 8 — MORE ANCHOR SHIMS. Nail a set of shims
3 — SECOND FASTENER. Now move to the above and below the strike plate mortise.
bottom of the hinge jamb. Hold the jamb This is the point of impact on the door, so NOTE: Score
flush to the wall and nail the jamb to the you want the connection of the jamb to and break off
shims flush
wall. But first, double check the jamb the wall rock-solid here. with wall
with your level. 9 — MORE SUPPORT SHIMS. All that’s left to do
4 — SUPPORT SHIMS. Slide a set of support is add support shims around the door to
shims above and below the centre hinge. stiffen the jamb. After setting the nails it’s
Using the long straightedge, make sure time to trim the shims flush. As you see
the jamb surface is flat, not bowed or con- at right, do this with a utility knife and a
A HELPING HAND
A clever adjustable "shim" system
that we reviewed in Issue 163 is the
WINBAG you see to the right. It is so
simple and effective we just have to
mention it again.
When you hang a door all you do is
pop the deflated bags under the stiles.
Next step is to step on the bulb and
pump away while manoeuvring the
hinges so that they line up with the
hinge mortices that you have cut into
the door jamb. Your eyes and hands can
focus on the hinges while one foot does
a clever tap dance. After the hinges are
screwed home all you do is press the
release valve and the bag deflates. See
page 73 for sources.
WEEKEND PROJECT
Spliced
Puzzle
Joint

John Bullar performs a
woodwork miracle with
this intriguing joint.
1
How does this joint fit together? With a
fully interlocked dovetail visible on each
of its four sides, it certainly is a puzzle!
Functionally, this strong joint splices the
ends of two short square posts together
into a longer post that might, for exam-
ple, form the leg of an eye-catching cof-
fee table.
The secret to the way the joint works
is in the final stages where the joined-
up post is reshaped with a plane, slic-
ing obliquely through a straightforward
pair of twin dovetails. All will be re-
vealed!
Preparation
1 Start by selecting two woods in con-
trasting colours, so the details of the
finished joint are clearly visible. I used
2
dark walnut and pale elm – both woods
that cut crisply and form strong joints.
Cut the wood into square sections, just
over 40% bigger than you want the final
post to end up. This allows for the final
re-shaping.
2 For accurate joinery work, you need

straight, flat reference surfaces. I
enjoy this stage, getting the feel of the
wood with a sharp, finely adjusted plane.
From bitter experience, I know that good
preparation at the start of the job saves a
lot of sweat and tears later on!
3 As well as each surface being straight

PHOTOGRAPHS BY JOHN BULLAR
and flat, they all need to be accurate-

ly square against their neighbours. Use
a try-square to check this at each end of
the wood. Position a light behind to re-
veal any glimmer of a gap between the
wood and the square.
3
Marking the joint
4 Choose which piece of wood is go-

ing to carry the tails. Mark the end
with a fine pencil, dividing the face in
half, then in half again to locate the cen-
tres of the twin tails. On either side of
each centre, mark out the width of a tail.
Use a try-square to mark a shoulder line
at the base of the tails.
5 If you use a bevel gauge to mark

the sides of the tails as I did, set it
to an angle so the width to length forms
a ratio of around 1:8. This may sound
a shallow angle compared to normal
dovetail sides, but you will see later
4 5 that the final stage of this joint slices
obliquely through the tails, widening
their appearance. I chose long, slim, tail
dimensions to allow for this.
6 Mark the tail sides against the bevel

gauge using a fine pencil. There is no
need to use knife lines at this stage, be-
cause the exact shape and position of the
tail sides is not critical.
Bandsaw work
7 A bandsaw is ideal for cutting
joints like this, although you
could use a dovetail saw or a small
tenon saw. The sides of the joint must
be cut square to the faces, so the band-
saw blade must be precisely at right-
angles to the table. If need be, trim the
6 7 level adjustment on the bandsaw table
before making any cuts.
8 Saw the sides of the twin tails to

follow the angled pencil lines. Re-
member that the kerf, or slot made by
the sawblade, is wider than the pencil
line. This means that the blade should
run down the waste side, attempting to
leave half the pencil line behind.
HANDY HINTS
You should have a spare blade specifically
dedicated to fine joint work and another
blade for general run-of-the-mill cutting.
Taking the time to change blades will save
time and heartache in the end.
8
9 I also cut the shoulders of the tails
on the bandsaw very slowly and
carefully. These are probably the most
critical part of the joint – any unevenness
here will convert straight into gaps in
the finished joint, or else stop it closing
properly.
Between the tails

10 I used a coping saw to cut a sock-
et between the twin tails. You
could use any small frame saw, a fretsaw
or an electric scrollsaw if you have the
use of one. Keep the saw cut a couple of
millimetres clear of the shoulder line.
9
11 Use a bevel-edged chisel to chop
the socket back towards the line.
Choose the widest chisel you can find
that fits the space so it practically cuts
the full width. Make sure the edge is ra-
zor sharp.
12 When I am chopping sockets

like this, I like to leave the last
half millimetre. Finally, I chop this back
in one go or pare it back with hand pres-
sure on the chisel handle for a really
clean edge.
HANDY HINTS
Tune your bandsaw an octave up the scale so
that it is taut and runs true. When you have
finished cutting drop the tension back for
general cutting. 10
11 12
Marking the sockets
13 Take the wood with the newly

cut tails and, supporting the far
end on a piece of scrap, lay the tails on
top of the second piece of wood. Ensure
that both pieces are precisely in line,
ready to mark around the tails. Use a
marking knife with a sharp pointed
blade to reach into the gap, and mark all
around each tail.
14 Back on the bandsaw, the sides

of each socket need to be very
carefully cut. Use good lighting and
position yourself for a clear view of the
blade. While the exact shape and size
13 of the tails didn’t matter too much, the
sockets must exactly match the outline
of the tails so there will be no gaps in
the finished joint.
15 The bandsaw blade must run

along the waste side of the knife
line, so that the kerf formed by the blade
just butts up against the line. Stop on or
just before the shoulder line, so there is
no risk of overshooting.
16 Because these sockets are nar-

row – half the width of the
socket between the twin tails – I de-
cided they did not need to be sawn out.
A narrow bevel-edged chisel chopped
out each socket with a few mallet blows
on each side. As before, I left half a mil-
limetre to be carefully pared back to
14 15 the line.
HANDY HINTS
After you have cut the shoulders it is
always a good idea to run a cut down the
centre of the waste. This gives you some
clearance for the wedged waste to move
forward into, otherwise you may find that
the waste wedge traps the chisel and
may even split off the short-grained tops
of the tails.
You can use the blade itself to nibble
away all the waste. Just make sure you
leave at least 1mm of waste at the
bottom of the cut so that you can shave
it flush with a chisel.
16
17 18
Fitting the joint

17 The moment of truth comes
when you first try to engage the
twin tails in the twin sockets. Don’t be
worried if they will not slide straight in
– in fact if they do, they are probably too
loose. It is quite common to need to trim
a joint for a good, firm fit.
18 Only partially engage the joint

for a trial fit – pushing it too far
may cause it to break as you try to pull
it apart. Once you are satisfied that the
joint is going to fit, glue it up and use a
clamp or a vice to finally pull it together.
19
Re-shaping the post
19 The trick now is to turn this
twin dovetail into a puzzle joint.
The joined-up post needs to be planed at
45°, removing a large number of shav-
ings from each corner. Keep going until
you convert each of the corners into a
new face. At the same time, each of the
old faces will be reduced in width until
it forms a new corner.
20 The job is finished when each

new face of the joined-up post
is equal in width, and each new corner
is straight and even. Instead of show-
ing twin dovetails, the newly angled
surfaces now display a single tail on
each face. You can challenge anyone to
work out how this strong spliced joint
fits together!
20
DESIGNER SERIES PROJECT

Casual
Coffee Table
The laid-back vibe of this table invites you to
put your feet up and relax — or set up for
the weekly game night.
Tables invite gathering. A large of it as a subtle permission slip to

dining table draws family and skip the coasters or put your feet
friends to celebrate holidays and up. Painting the base also allows
special events. A coffee table on you to use lower cost materials
the other hand, tones down the without apology.
rituals for laid back gatherings The top of any table is the high-
whether coffee-based or another impact and high-traffic show-
beverage of your choosing. piece. In this case, it’s made from
I’ve noticed a recent trend that thick, solid cherry. Breadboard
super sizes the coffee table into ends nod in the direction of a
continent-sized altars of display. casual, country style.
This table instead relishes small Even the details reinforce feel-
spaces and everyday gatherings. ing at ease. There are no ornate
The splayed legs and aprons vis- mouldings or profiles. Edges
ible from the front add visual and are softened just enough to feel
woodworking interest. comfortable — and to help add
Down below, there’s a drawer “authentic wear” to the paint.
to hold entertaining essentials, The Designer Series projects
remotes or just a place to clear aim to let you create good-look-
the deck when company arrives. ing, solidly built furniture using
We finished the base with a two- essential skills with a modest tool
tone distressed paint job. Think kit. It’s time to start building.
Angled legs and a distressed paint scheme dial back the formality of this coffee
table design. A drawer adds welcome storage and the crowning, naturally
finished breadboard top (opposite page photo) adds contrast.
Angles & tapered LEGS
Since the angled legs
form such a prominent
characteristic of this
table, we’ll start there.
I want to point out that
not only are the legs
angled in orientation,
but also tapered from
top to bottom. This
is shown in the left
margin drawing. This
lightens the look of the
legs and enhances the
angled effect.
The drawing at right
shows our heading —
the two end assemblies.
These consist of a pair
of legs joined with an
apron.
LEG DETAILS. Creating
four leg blanks sets
you on course. The top
and bottom of the legs
have parallel angles
cut to establish their
stance.
The legs connect to
the aprons with mor-
tise and tenon joints.
While the sides are still
parallel and square, it’s Figure 1 below shows a tried-and-true a narrow chisel chops the end square.
a good idea to form the technique that employs a drill press to TAPER THE LEGS. Before forming the remain-
mortise on the inside remove most of the material. You then ing mortises, you need to taper the out-
face of the leg. These clean up the edges and ends with a pair side edge of the legs. Figure 2 below
are the ones that hold of chisels at the workbench. A wide chisel shows how to cut the tapers with a quick-
the two end aprons. straightens the sides of the mortise, while to-make taper jig.
Making a Mortise. Drill a long line of overlapping holes with Taper Jig. The taper jig consists of a plywood base with a
a brad point bit. Straighten the edges with a wide chisel. It handful of stops that position each leg in the same place for
isn’t necessary, but you can square up the ends as well. consistent tapers. The sled runs against the rip fence.

The tapered edge serves as the refer-
ence surface for mortises with a consistent CENTRE ASSEMBLY
depth. The bridge between the ends makes up
END APRONS. The two end aprons only the front and back of the table. With it, The box below shows how to create the
require a tenon cut on each end to fit the you’ll also create a pocket for the drawer, drawer opening in the front apron with
respective mortises, as in detail ‘a.’ The as shown in the drawing above. four cuts at the table saw.
upper and lower edges are bevel ripped FRONT APRON. The front and rear aprons This arrangement works particularly
to match the lean of the legs. After cutting are identical in finished size. But making well if you choose to go with a clear finish
an angled groove for tabletop fasteners them is a different story. The rear apron on the base. The middle section is sized for
(detail ‘b’), you can assemble the ends. is simply cut to size with angled ends. the drawer front so you have continuous
grain flowing across the entire piece.
TRENCHES & TENONS. Joinery is up next. The
inner faces of the aprons have trenches
to house the drawer rails (details ‘a’
and ‘c’). Then you can cut tenons on the
angled ends.
I used a dado blade in the table saw.
Support the piece with the mitre gauge
rotated to match the angle on the end and
with the rip fence set for an end stop. In
order to form the end shoulders, I find that
a hand saw and a chisel work better than
trying to do this at the table saw.
The groove for the tabletop fasteners is
easy to overlook in your haste to glue up
the base, as in detail ‘d.’ I glued the rails
to the front and rear aprons before adding
the end assemblies. Your aim is a square
assembly with the parts flush at the top.
A Handy DRAWER
With the structure of the table formed, you of the slot gets trimmed back to accom- above and below. A set of runners takes on
can turn towards the work of fitting it out. modate the side. that role, as in detail ‘d.’ The runners are
We’ll make a drawer, add some decorative Finally, the drawer sides have a trench screwed to the rails to centre the drawer
flourishes, and cap it off with the top. cut at each end to interlock with the tongue in the opening top to bottom. Depending
DRAWER FIRST. Remember the middle on the front, as in detail ‘c.’ The drawer on drawer sizing, you may need to add
piece you cut out when making the front back has a tongue cut at each end to fit into a stop to the rear apron so the drawer is
apron? It’s time to dig it out to use as the the trenches in the sides. flush at the front.
drawer front. If necessary, trim it up a bit You can cut a groove in all the parts to KEEPING BRACKETS. I felt the table was
for even reveals on all four sides. accept the drawer bottom (detail ‘d’). Then feeling too square. To soften the look, I
The drawer parts are joined with a lock- assemble the drawer. A round wood knob added a rounded bracket to the transi-
ing rebate joint, as shown in detail ‘c.’ This suits the tone of this piece. tion between the leg and apron. These
is formed in three steps. First, cut a slot INSTALLING THE DRAWER. The drawer guides are shown in details ‘a’ and ‘b.’ Shape the
across each end of the drawer front. The that make up part of the table base keep brackets on the end of an extra-long blank
depth of the slot matches the thickness of the drawer running straight and true. for safer handling. Then lop each one to
the drawer sides. Next, the inner tongue What’s needed is some support from length and glue it on.

BREADBOARD TOP
The crown for this table is a solid-wood
top, as shown in the right drawing. For
this version, I used cherry. The warm
hue plays well with most settings.
Gluing a panel isn’t complicated, just pay
attention to the grain for seamless joints.
Breadboard ends are added to help
keep the panel flat and add a decorative
touch. Grooves cut in the top and ends
accept a spline. Note that the spline’s
grain direction matches the panel.
When gluing on the breadboard ends,
only apply glue to the middle section
to allow the panel to accommodate
seasonal expansion and contraction.
TABLETOP CLEATS. Hardwood cleats connect
the top to the base. A tongue slides in the
apron grooves, as in detail ‘a’ at right. A
slip fit allows the top to move. To install
the cleats, flip the top upside down on
your bench. Centre the base on the top.
Fit the cleats in the grooves and install
screws to secure the top (detail ‘b’).
Sources on page 73 has the details on the
distressed, painted finish I used. You can’t
help but relax once you place this table in
the house. Grab a magazine (Australian
Woodsmith?) and relax. W
HEIRLOOM PROJECT

Serpentine Chest
This flowing chest of drawers, a modern take on a traditional piece,
catches the eye without showing off.
The serpentine style has a

nearly four-century-old history,
dating back to one of the most
immoderate periods of French
design. A traditional serpentine
chest often featured ornate trim
and gaudy carvings, and would
look far more at home in the
Palace of Versailles than a 21st-
century household. The form
certainly gained modesty as
the years passed and it spread
across the world, but many of
the examples you’ll find today
would still stick out like a sore
(though elegant) thumb in most
modern homes.
Our designer, Chris Fitch,
wanted to make a serpentine
chest that would fit with a variety
Angled legs and a rounded, curving top offer a sleek look, while the drawer pulls draw focus to
of styles, from Arts and Crafts to
the fascinating, figured grain revealed by the varying depths of the serpentine fronts.
Modern. In doing so he trimmed
the excesses, focused on flow,
made it more efficient, cleaner
and sleeker, until he had the piece
pictured here. While the figured
drawer fronts and sweeping,
splayed legs catch the eye, they
won’t overshadow the other fur-
niture in your home.
This project provides a meaty,
though not insurmountable,
challenge. For those of you who
(like myself) appreciate some
time at the bandsaw, you’ll find
this piece a particular joy, as all
those curves are bandsawn to
shape. Between the machine-
cut, half-blind dovetails and a
number of roundovers, you’ll
also get a hearty helping of
router work in. Lastly, you’ll
find the drawer fronts offer a
rare opportunity to see how the
figure of the grain changes with
the depth. Without further ado, Sturdy half-blind dovetails mask themselves when the drawers are closed, blending into the
I’d suggest turning the page to sleek curves, yet they provide a beautiful contrast between the cherry fronts and pine sides
get to the doing. when opened.
Kicking it off with the CASE
The first step in building the chest is STOPPED TRENCHES. To hold the middle hold both the case top and the bottom
to create the main case everything else dividers in place, several stopped divider. Head to the table saw to cut
wraps around. The case itself is relatively trenches will need to be cut in the sides. through trenches on the top and bottom
simple: sides, dividers and a top all made As shown in Figure 1 on the next page, of the sides (Figure 2 on the next page).
from plywood and joined together by a I did this using a plunge router and These trenches need to be narrower, as
series of tongues, grooves and trenches. a simple jig made from two pieces of the case top and bottom divider are held
A plywood back completes the case, but Masonite. The Masonite guides the in place by tongues.
it won’t be attached until after the draw- router base while you rout to the end of TONGUES. As you can see in detail ‘b’
ers are installed. the trench. After routing, use a chisel to above, the case top and the bottom
You’ll first need to size some panels, square the stopped end. divider sit flush with the ends of the
so cut the sides, dividers and top. Size THROUGH TRENCHES. While that finishes the sides. Tongues are used to accomplish
the back as well, but set it aside for now. stopped trenches, the trenches don’t stop this. Staying at the table saw, use a
We’ll get back to it later. there. The sides need narrow trenches to dado blade to cut rebates in the top and

bottom pieces, creating the tongues to
match the through trenches.
GROOVES. While the back will be attached
later in the process, this is a good time to
cut the grooves that hold it in place. Both
the case sides and the case top have these
grooves. As with the through trenches
previously, I cut these grooves on the
table saw (Figure 3).
SERPENTINE SLOTS. To fit the serpentine
edges for which the chest takes its name,
grooves need to be cut in the front of the
dividers and the top. Tongues on the ser-
pentine edges will fit in these grooves,
but more on that later. To avoid cutting
these panels on end, I opted to use a slot
cutting bit on the router table, like you see
in Figure 4 at right.
PILOT HOLES. Later on, another top will
be seated on the case with washer
head screws. Now is a good time to
drill the pilot holes and counterbores
for those screws.
ASSEMBLE THE CASE. With the joinery on
the case concluded, it’s time to assemble
it. Glue up all case pieces, however, as I
mentioned before, leave the back off for
now. This will make it easier to clamp
the serpentine edges in place, and fit the
drawers with the case itself after they’re
made.
Begin the glue-up by laying one side of
the case flat on the workbench (grooves
and trenches facing up). Fit the dividers
and case top in, then place the second
side over them. The case won’t have
much stability while making sure that
everything stays square, so I prefer a glue
with a long open time.
Using a couple of curved cauls is
helpful here too, as the broad sides
keep most clamps from pressing on the
middle. A caul will distribute the force
across the whole side, keeping the sides
flat and ensuring all dividers get equal
clamping pressure.
Long and
Short LEGS
With the case constructed, it’s
time to give the chest a few
legs to stand on. The front
legs consist of a three-piece
assembly (shown at right),
while the rear legs are smaller
and screwed on with a set of
brackets.
FRONT LEG ASSEMBLY. When siz-
ing the front leg pieces, leave
the leg body as an extra-wide
blank and bevel rip the body
and cleat. The tongue and
body get glued up first (Fig-
ure 1). Be sure the front leg
aligns with the case side, as
in detail ‘c.’ When clamping
the assembly, I used a caul
block that I bevelled at 30°.
Once dry, use a wedge to
position the leg and body
flush (Figure 2). To reach the
final width, tilt the blade back
to 45° and rip. Lastly, glue the
cleat on below the tongue, as
shown in Figure 3. legs (Figure 3), take a trip to the bandsaw bit in my router table, I raised the cutter
SHAPING THE LEGS. To help in shaping the to cut their profiles as shown in Figure 4. just below halfway up the thickness of
legs, we’ve provided patterns at austra- RADIUS. To create the radius you see in the piece (Figure 5a). Then I made one
lianwoodsmith.com.au. After printing the detail ‘c’ above, I used a roundover bit pass on either side to round out each half
patterns and attaching them to the front (see Sources on page 73). After setting the (Figure 5b).
THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT
Glue-up. Glue the front leg body Rip the Excess. Tilt the blade to 45°, then use a 30° Pattern. Glue the cleat flush to
flush to the leg tongue. wedge to rip the excess from the front leg glue-up. the inner leg. Attach the pattern.

ATTACHING THE FRONT LEGS. The splay of the
front legs makes the glue-up here tricky.
To make sure enough pressure was
applied, I used screws along with glue. I
located the screws in line with the divid-
ers (main illustration, previous
page). This way the edges hide
the screws when the drawers are
removed.
REAR LEGS. After making the front legs, the
rear legs are a cakewalk. Once cut to size,
repeat Figures 3 through 5, attaching the
patterns, cutting the profile and creating
the radius. A pair of brackets accompany
the rear legs (detail ‘b’ on the previous
page). When the brackets are sized, head
over to the table saw to cut their mitres.
ATTACHING THE REAR LEGS. Flip the case
upside-down, then mark the location of
the rear feet on the bottom of the case.
Glue the feet to the bottom with brackets
glued and screwed in alongside. PROFILE. With the tongues made, the
edges are ready for shaping. Like the legs,
SERPENTINE EDGES we’ve included patterns to help here.
The last step before moving onto the draw- Before attaching the patterns, fit the edges
For full-size leg curve and serpentine patterns, visit our
ers is to add some of the titular serpentine on the dividers. As in detail ‘a,’ the begin- website at australianwoodsmith.com.au
aesthetic. Namely, the edging on the top ning of the curve on the edge should align
and dividers. After sizing the edge pieces, with the corner of the front leg.
head to the table saw to cut rebates on I cut the profile of the pattern on the of each piece (as shown in detail ‘b’ above),
the back edge of these pieces, forming a bandsaw as well. I then headed to the except for the top edge of the top piece.
tongue like you see in detail ‘b.’ router table to round over the front edges Finally, glue the edges in place.
Profile. Head to the bandsaw to Rout the Radius. At the router table, raise the cutters of the bit to 3mm below the centre
shape the profile of the legs. of the leg assembly. Rout each side to form the radius of the exposed front and back sides.
thick piece would fit in the dovetailing jig which way the end grain curves. The grain
I used (refer to page 73 for source). I used curving in yields the figure you see in our
A Quartet of the jig along with a router to cut dovetails photos, while the grain curving out will
DRAWERS in the sides, back and inner pieces of the
drawer fronts.
produce an eye-like shape at the centre of
the fronts.
Four drawers fill the chest, with the fronts SERPENTINE DRAWER FRONT. With the dove- Once the drawer fronts have been
as the focal points. Those fronts consist of tails in place, the drawer fronts can be initially shaped on the bandsaw, they
a two-part assembly: a thinner portion for glued up. Clamp the ends and edges need to be cleaned up and sanded. Use
the joinery and a thicker portion for the to make sure both front pieces are fully a spokeshave to remove blade marks and
flowing curves. aligned. Once dry, attach the patterns approach the final shape, as in Figure 2.
DOVETAILS. The dovetails in the draw- (australianwoodsmith.com.au). Head over Once the surface is smooth, sand it down
ers are half-blind and machine-cut. The to the bandsaw to cut the drawer fronts to final size. I kept a ruler handy while
drawer fronts will later be glued up from to shape (Figure 1, next page). shaving and sanding to make sure my
two pieces each, as only the inner 19mm- When cutting the fronts, watch for surface stayed flat.

DRAWER BOTTOM. As you may be suspect- setting the bit height, be sure the groove Plane the guides down as needed, then
ing, the drawer bottoms won’t fit our lands within one of the tail sockets so it’s glue them in place.
drawers without some accommodation. hidden when assembled (Figure 3a). BACK & STOPS. Finally, the back panel can
To be sure each bottom would match its As I mentioned, a table saw will do a be attached to the chest. Slide the panel
front, I used the drawer fronts to lay out fine job of grooving the sides and backs. into the grooves in the case sides, then
matching curves on the front edge of the Cut the grooves as shown in Figure 4, then screw it into the dividers. Two small
bottoms. From there, all that was needed the drawers are ready for assembly. pieces of softwood act as stops for each
was a trip to the bandsaw to cut the bot- ASSEMBLY. Glue and clamp the drawers, drawer. Once sized, use a block plane to
toms to the matching shape. fitting the bottoms into the grooves and finetune the fit, then glue the stops to the
GROOVES. With the drawer bottoms the dovetails in their mating joints. Once drawer back.
shaped, the other pieces needed to be the drawers are dry, attach the pulls to
grooved to accept the bottoms. While the the front.
sides and backs can be easily grooved DRAWER GUIDES. The last pieces of the
with a trench blade on the table saw, drawers are the guides and stops. When
grooving the fronts required a different cutting the guides to size, sneak up on
For the full-size patterns of the drawer fronts
approach. Since I needed to follow the their final thickness. Put the drawers and drawer bottoms, visit our website at
shape of the fronts, I used a slot-cutting in place and test fit the guides. Aim for australianwoodsmith.com.au
bit on the router table (Figure 3). When a 1mm gap around the drawer fronts.
A Handsome TOP
At this point, we’ve only got one thing left SHAPING. After gluing up the panel for corners. As shown in detail ‘a,’ the roun-
on the docket: the chest top. As you can see the chest top and cutting it to size, apply dover on the top has a greater radius than
in the drawing above, it’s a thick, broad the pattern (available at australianwood- the one on the bottom.
panel shaped to match the stance of the smith.com.au) to the front edge. As shown SEATING THE TOP. The top is attached with
front legs and the curve of the drawers. in Figure 1, use a jig saw to cut it to shape. screws driven through the case. When
The roundover gives a sleek, flowing look Stay just outside the pattern when mak- seating the top onto the chest itself, align
to the top of the chest. ing the cut, then use a sanding block to the piece so the back side is flush with the
clean the edges and reach the final shape back of the top. Next, align the chest top
(Figure 1a). so that there is an equal reveal on either
ROUNDING THE EDGES. To match the curves side, as in detail ‘b’ above. Once you’re
of the chest’s front and its angled, sweep- happy with the top’s placement, clamp it
ing legs, I routed roundovers on the cor- in place, and drive screws up from under-
For full-sized patterns of top, visit our website at
ners of the top’s front and sides. Take the neath to secure it (as shown in detail ‘a’).
australianwoodsmith.com.au top over to the router table and rout like To finish the chest, I gave it three coats of
you see in Figure 2 below, softening the spray lacquer. W
Shaping the Top. Use a jig saw to do the basic shaping of the Roundover. At the router table, round over the top and
top, keeping outside the pattern, then sand to the final shape. bottom edges of the front and sides on the chest top.

WORKSHOP PROJECT
Table Saw Cabinet It’s not always easy to keep an organ- encloses lesser-used blades and trench
Providing a home ised workshop. Whether you’ve become spacers. Magnetic catches guarantee the
for blades, inserts wrapped up in a project, unearthed the doors will hold fast, while the pull and
contents of a drawer looking for some cutout make opening them a snap.
and more, this long-lost tool or been stricken by a case of While function is certainly foremost in
end-of-the-day apathy, clutter can build this cabinet, that doesn’t mean there isn’t
cabinet is the perfect up quickly. For that reason, some of my some room for form as well. Hoop pine
companion for your favourite workshop projects are simple ply provides not only strength, but visual
and efficient organisers — like the one interest along the edges and a sleek look
time at the table saw. you see here. on the faces after a few coats of lacquer.
It’s no secret to anyone with a work- Rounded corners and edges soften oth-
shop that space is always at a premium, erwise harsh lines, helping the cabinet
and that extends to walls too. Our look right at home in your workshop.
designer, Chris Fitch, had this in mind Overall, this simple cabinet will work
when creating the double-doored cabinet wonders when it comes to organising
here. Behind the first door lies pockets for your table saw. And, as a wiser man than
your inserts and the perfect place to store me once said, “Simplicity is the ultimate
your most used blades. The second door sophistication.”
The back side of the outer door features a pair of pockets for your The inner door maximises vertical space and makes for a great place
inserts, while the front face of the inner door keeps your favourite to store specialty cutters and dado blades, both on the door as well as
blades easily at hand. the back of the cabinet.

Beginning at the BACK
The first piece of this puzzle is the back, TRENCHES. Fittingly, I chose to start the top and bottom of the case (shown in
which forms the foundation the rest of joinery for this cabinet at the table saw. detail ‘a’ above).
the cabinet will be built on. The back After first cutting the back to size, I With those in place, I got out a router
itself is simple, with a few bits of basic used a trench blade along with a mitre and chisel to make the stopped trenches
joinery and a handful of holes for the gauge and an auxiliary fence to cut the (detail ‘b’ above). These trenches will
dowel hangers. two through trenches that will hold the support a pair of shelves later on. As
you can see illustrated in the box below,
these are easy to make with a straight
bit (matching the plywood’s thickness)
and guide.
HANGER HOLES. The back features dowel
hangers of two different diameters:
smaller ones for lighter items and larger
ones for blades. To keep blades and
accessories from sliding off their hang-
ers, the holes are drilled at a 15° angle
(detail ‘c’). To make sure my angle was
right, I cut a block at 15° to use as a drill-
ing guide. Lastly, I cut the dowels to
length and glued them in.
ROUNDOVERS. Before finishing up with
the back, I rounded off the corners. I
started at the bandsaw, roughing out
the radius, then took the back to the
edge sander to reach the final shape.

ADDING THE CASE rebated ends. Details ‘a’ and ‘e’ depict pass down the length of the board did
Next on the docket are the case pieces, these trenches. the job (shown in detail ‘d’).
along with the shelving that goes One piece of joinery remains for the Next came the corners of the top, bot-
beside them. The top and bottom fit case: a shallow groove for the piano tom and two shelves. I did these in the
into the through trenches cut in the hinge that attaches the outer door (detail same manner as the back’s corners —
back, with the sides sandwiched in ‘d’). Since this is a stopped groove, I starting at the bandsaw and finishing
between. The shelves are held by routed it as shown on the previous page. the radii on the edge sander.
trenches on two sides. Lastly, this is a good time to drill the ASSEMBLY. The last step in build-
JOINERY. After cutting the pieces to size, holes in the top and bottom pieces for ing the case is to attach it to the back.
I began the case joinery at the table the dowels that will hold the inner door Detail ‘b’ above should give you some
saw. After swapping in a dado blade, I (detail ‘e’). idea of how the top, bottom and sides
rebated the ends of the left side, as you ROUNDING IT OUT. As with the back, there fit in place. I glued the top in first, then
can see in detail ‘c.’ are roundovers on the case parts. Look- secured it with screws. I then glued in
Sticking with the dado blade makes ing to the main illustration above, you the right and left sides, securing them
quick work of the trenches in the top, bot- can see that some of the hard edges and with screws as well. The bottom follows
tom and right side. Keep in mind while corners will be eased. I started on the next, done in the same manner as the
making the cuts that the trenches hold- left, taking the left case side over to the top. Finally, I glued the side shelves into
ing the left side will be narrower for the router table. Using a roundover bit, one the right side and back.
A Duo of DOORS
Though most of the case has been made, ber of table saw blades. I used the same
there are still two important parts left: mitred block here to guide my drill as I
the inner and outer doors. Not only do did with the back piece.
they enclose the case, but they also offer a While this technique works well enough
significant amount of storage for blades, for the dowel hangers, I wanted more pre-
shims and the various inserts you use. cision when it came to the holes that the
INNER DOOR. I started with the inner door will pivot on. To make sure they’d
door. After sizing the piece, I used a be perfectly aligned, I made a guide block
compass to lay out the shape of the of the same thickness as the door, then
notch (shown in the main illustration took it over to the drill press. After drill-
above). I took the door to the bandsaw to ing through it, I could then use it to make
rough out the shape, cutting a little shy sure my hand drill stayed perpendicular
of my layout line. At the spindle sander, to the door. INSTALLING THE INNER DOOR. We’re nearly
I removed the last bits of waste to reach CATCH PAD. The catch pad is a simple ready to put the inner door in place.
the final shape of the cutout. block of plywood for the magnetic catch First though, there’s a roundover on
DRILLING FOR DOWELS. Next up is a bit of to be mounted on. Once you’ve cut it to the edges of the inner door. After a trip
drilling. The inner door features size- size, set it aside for now. We’ll get back to the router table, you’ll be ready for
able dowel hangers for holding a num- to it in just a moment. installation.

OUTER DOOR When it comes to the “pockets” them-
As you can see in the art above, the outer selves, I started on the drill press. A large
door itself couldn’t be simpler — just aim Forstner bit (or a hole saw) is a great way
for a 2mm gap between the case and to establish the corners of the pockets.
door. After sizing, turn your attention From there, I returned once again to the
to the insert pocket pieces. While we do bandsaw and followed my layout lines
provide dimensions, I’d encourage you to to the holes. After routing off the blade
use them as guidelines, then adjust the marks, screw the pocket pieces onto the
Start by pressing the dowels slightly size as needed to fit your own inserts. centre of the door.
through the top and bottom. Slip the wash- INSERT POCKET. Once the pocket pieces The rest is mostly a matter of drilling and
ers over the ends of the dowels and add are sized, lay out the outer radii on both screwing. The pocket core is glued in place,
a bit of glue on the ends. Set the door in pieces. When laying out the “pockets” then countersunk screws attach the front.
place and sink the dowels in fully. Leave of the core piece, use your inserts as The magnetic catches can be screwed on,
the ends of the dowels proud so they can templates. The outside radii were easiest then the outer door can be attached with the
be trimmed flush to the case. Finally, glue to make on the bandsaw. Then I cleaned piano hinge. Finally, add the pull to com-
the catch pad onto its spot. them up with a flush trim bit. plete your new table saw companion. W
Materials & Supplies

A Back (1) 825 x 536 x 19ply • (1) 6mm-dia x 300 Dowel
B Case Top/Bottom (2) 536 x 156 x 19ply • (1) 9.5mm-dai x 600 Dowel NEEDED: One1200
C Case Sides (2) 624 x 150 x 19ply • (1) 12.7mm-dia. x 300 Dowel x1200 sheet of
19mm Hoop pine
D Side Shelves (2) 170 x 156 x 19ply • (9) 8g x 38mm c/s Woodscrews plywood, and one
E Inner Door (1) 608 x 320 x 19ply • (1) 900mm Piano Hinge 305 x 305mm sheet
of6mm Hoop pine
F Catch Pad (1) 50 x 25 x 16 • (1) 110mm Plastic Pull plywood
G Outer Door (1) 610 x 332 x 19ply • (2) Magnetic Latches
H Insert Pocket Core (1) 305 x 150 x 19ply
I Insert Pocket Front (1) 305 x 150 x 6ply
WOODTURNING
Exploring
Bowl Design
Mark Sanger gets into the detail of form and simple decorative effects.

When developing the design
of a bowl you need to take into
account the proportions along
with several options available
for the overall bowl aesthetic. These
include the foot, which can be turned
within the existing seasoned blank, or as
a second option, a foot turned from a sep-
arate piece of wood, saving waste when
producing a pedestal bowl.
In this article I am expanding this
further to look at how the internal panding the variation we can employ bead or produce a cove with a gouge or
form of the bowl may affect its ini- in our bowl making. skew, so while I urge you to learn these
tial design for an out-curve rim, or Again, I am using seasoned purchased techniques to start with, reasonable re-
when there is a need for an undercut blanks to show specific techniques for sults can be achieved using beading/
rim, and how to produce this with a you to experiment with. Some of these profile tools and the skew in scraper
bowl gouge and other tools, such as techniques are not optimal – for exam- mode, with the pros and cons of each
a scraping option if you are not con- ple, when it comes to turning beads and being covered.
fident to date with the gouge. Of- coves I would always recommend using It is my belief that if the tool and
PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARK SANGER
ten simple external texture is all that a spindle gouge, as the cutting action technique used is safe and achieves the
is needed to add interest to a basic will always provide the best finish over desired result, then use it while build-
bowl, so here I am also introducing a the scraping option produced by a skew ing up skill on waste wood of the foun-
few techniques to produce these, using in scraping mode or a beading/profiling dation techniques. As ever try out the
a spindle gouge, skew and profile tools tool. But, when I started turning, it took ideas here or mix it up a bit with yours.
to produce beads and coves, so ex- me a while to gain the ability to roll a Above all stay safe and have fun.
Rim and internal bowl profiles
When I started turning bowls the rim to ing, as the internal form allows for the
me was simply the top of the bowl as I basics of the bowl gouge to be practised
gave little, if any, consideration to its through a simple curved/plunge cut
shape and how this may affect the util- from rim towards base.
ity of the bowl. If we consider the func-
tion of the bowls we are making before
stepping up to the lathe we can produce
Bowl with scorched exterior to
a far better project for its function – after
provide contrast.
all, a bowl’s primary purpose is that of
function.
Let us consider the open form that
is used for bowls where salad, fruit or
other large food items are stored. Or
where easy removal of foodstuffs or
items from the bowl is required, such as,
soap, rice, fruits and similar, commer-
cially produced fruit bowls, and a small
ash (Fraxinus excelsior) bowl turned
purely as an aesthetic form.
For ease of access and effective stor-
age the open form bowl with an out-
wards flowing rim is the most effective
option for storing larger items. It is the
simplest to produce and generally the Internal form and cutting
first form of bowl that we start turn- direction for simple bowl. Simple, functional bowls.
Undercut rim
An undercut rim is one that flows in-
wards towards the rim of the bowl as
shown in the picture at right. It is aesthet-
ically pleasing, having the advantage of
adding an appearance of depth to a shal-
low bowl, as well as a functional purpose
that we should consider when deciding
on it for a utility bowl. If we are want-
Undercut
ing to store large fruit or similar produce
rim bowl.
the undercut can hinder removal of items
due to them becoming lodged under the
rim, as illustrated in the image. For fine
foodstuffs such as small grains, pulses
and similar, an undercut rim has the ben-
efit of acting as a trap, helping to stop the Undercut rim – large objects can become
produce spilling out of the bowl when lodged making removal difficult
scooped up by hand. Gravity as well as
the shape of the undercut rim means the
produce being removed should readily
fall back into the bowl without spilling
over the side.
The undercut rim also acts as a truss.
strengthening the rim and protecting it
Undercut rim ideal for small produce.
from chipping if dropped. Internal undercut and gravity cause loose
items to fall back into bowl

Variations on a theme
The simple addition of a particular rim dercut rim is ideal for use with food
can alter the aesthetics of a bowl, having items. The drop-rim looks as if there
first taken into account the utility. Take a is a bowl within a bowl, and is used
look at the illustrations. The simple rim here purely aesthetically. The image
works well, but the roll-top rim, being features a textured, coloured drop-rim
tactile to the touch, softens the appear- bowl with gold leaf applied to the inner
ance of the bowl rim. A down-slope rim bowl section below the line of the inner
(outwards) draws the eye of the viewer drop rim. The lip of the drop rim creates
to the outside profile of the bowl. An in- a contrast border that gives the illusion of
ward down-slope rim draws the eye of a bowl-within-a-bowl.
the viewer down into the bowl. The un- Drop-rim bowl with metal leaf interior.
Rim profiles
Simple rim Rolled rim
Down-slope rim (outward) Down-slope rim (inward)
Undercut rim Drop rim
Drop-rim bowl
technique
The rims shown are simple to achieve
with basic cuts using standard turning
tools. The drop-rim, however, is shown
here for clarity in how I go about pro-
ducing this style of internal bowl/rim
profile. First, the inside profile of the
bowl is turned leaving the wall thickness
oversize, depending upon the desired
finished thickness and profile, with the
location of the start of the drop rim be-
ing marked onto the inside of the bowl.
A bowl gouge is then used, taking fine
Marking the inner rim depth. Cutting down to the inner rim depth. cuts to reduce the wall thickness from
the top of the rim down to the inner rim
line. Finally, the toe of a skew presented
in trailing mode is used to sharpen the
detail/profile of the groove, with the fi-
nal surface being finished with abrasive
from 120-320 grit.
Adding turned
texture to work
In addition to the various rims that we
can include in bowl design, the type of
form for the bowl itself as well as foot
design affect the overall impact of the
bowl itself. Texture can also be included
and turned, using basic turning tools to
the outside of our bowls. This is done us-
A skew used in scraping mode to sharpen detail. ing the skew in scraping mode to create
fine grooves. There are so many textures
available to us, so here I am starting with
a few purely turned textures with beads
and grooves as shown turned on the
bowls. The bottom image shows a selec-
tion of bowls and lidded forms where the
impact of beads and coves can clearly be
seen on the finished pieces.
COLOUR
Adding colour to the beads and coves of
a bowl and then sanding and buffing the
surface produces a distressed look that can
make the bowl itself look like an antique.
The delightful patina adds visual interest
to the bowl and can lift a simple form to a
higher level.
Selection of patinated bowls by Mark Baker with beaded and coved detail.

TURNING SPEED
Beads and coves are produced between
centres with the deft use of a skew chisel
and a gouge. When you are dealing with a
bowl on a faceplate you will have different
diameters being presented to the tool within
seconds as it travels from the rim of the
bowl to the base. The larger the diameter the
faster the speed of the bowl as it passes over
the cutting edge. This means that a scraper
will produce a better finish on fast turning
rim sections than on the slower moving base
of the bowl.
Tools used
The tools that I use and teach for turned
texturing are always centred around cut-
ting tools, with the spindle gouge and
skew always being my go-to option. Cut- Tools from the top: bead-forming tool, scraper, spindle gouge, skew chisel, bead-forming tool.
ting tools slice the wood fibres and as
such are the most efficient tools to use,
producing a fine finish especially when
turning cross-grain timber. Tear-out can
Tools used Pros Cons
be induced with scraping-type steel and Steep learning curve
Spindle gouge Slices fibres giving
carbide tools, such as beading tools or Standard slicing mode excellent surface finish. Can until ability gained to use
small, round-nose scrapers, as these can produce infinite sizes of effectively
compress and rip the end-grain fibres in- beads and coves
stead of slicing cleanly through them as
with the gouge or skew. The right-hand Spindle gouge Simple to use for Can produce tear-out on
table shows a selection of tools – a small Scraping mode producing infinite sizes end-grain fibres depending
spindle gouge with fingernail profile, of coves upon wood density and
skew beading tools and a homemade grain
round-nose cove profiling/scraper tool.
Skew Slices fibres giving Steep learning curve
Standard slicing mode excellent surface finish. until ability gained to use
Can produce infinite sizes effectively
Beads and coves with of beads and coves
various tools Skew Simple to use for Can produce tear-out on
Turning beads and coves was the first Scraping mode producing infinite sizes end-grain fibres depending
texture that I and many others started of beads upon wood density and
with when turning. But I must confess grain
that I initially used profile tools, such as
a beading tool, when first starting turn- Beading tool Simple to use for Can produce tear-out on
ing to produce my beads, as well as a Scraping mode producing set size beads end-grain fibres depending
as tools manufactured upon wood density and
homemade scraper/profile tool ground
3mm, 6mm, 10mm grain
to the radius I needed for the size of cove
I wanted to produce. Convex profile/scrapers Simple to use for Can produce tear-out on
Before I show how to produce the Scraping mode producing set size coves end-grain fibres depending
beads and coves, I want to clarify the Homemade HHS/ as tools manufactured upon wood density and
pros and cons of each method and tool, profile tool or ground grain
and to make this as simple as possible I Flat carbide profile tools
have included a simple table to help.
Turning beads
and coves
Turning a bead with a spindle gouge or
skew takes some practice. This article is
not intended, neither has the scope, to
cover the actual techniques of how to
turn the beads and coves with both tools,
but shows the various options available
to us. The spindle gouge, as clarified, can
be used to produce infinite sizes of beads
while producing an excellent finish from
the tool (bespoke bead forming tools are
limited to just the one radius). We first
mark the width of the bead needed –
with practice this can be omitted – and
then one side of the bead is cut followed
by the other side, thus producing two
halves of the bead. The downside of us-
Using a spindle gouge to cut the right-hand side of the bead. ing a skew chisel to cut your beads is that
one false move can ruin the day's work!
Producing a bead with a skew can be
achieved by presenting it as a scraper.
This is a safer technique when it comes
to dig-ins. Use a freshly ground cutting
edge with the tool placed on the toolrest
with handle slightly higher and shaft
tailing down in scraping mode. The toe/
long point of the tool is then plunged
gently into what will be the valley of the
bead and gently swung around to shape
one side of the bead, after which it is
repeated on the other side to produce a
full bead. Continual adjustement of the
tool rest so that it is as close to the face
being turned reduced the chance of the
skew chisel chattering as it flexes. It is
good practice to always have the small-
est gap between the tool and the timber.
It is possible that the tool itself could
snap under load if the distance between
The spindle gouge cutting the left-hand side of the bead. the working surface and the fulcrum
(tool rest) is too great.
Shaping beads with a bead-forming
tool is probably the simplest way to
achieve a uniform shape. Here the tool is
set on the toolrest as per manufacturers’
recommendations, which is normally, but
not always, presented in scraping mode.
But do check the instructions for your in-
dividual tool. With the tool presented in
the desired position it is gently plunged
to depth. If using a bead-forming tool,
make sure it is sharp and plunge gently,
especially when you are reaching the
final/full shape of the bead as excess
force at this stage can knock the crown
Using the skew chisel to form a bead. of the bead off by tearing the fibres, as

Using a bead-
forming tool to
cut the bead.
seen in the lower left image on previous

page. The bead shows tear-out, which
has occurred at the end grain of the fibres
within this cross-grain oriented bowl. For
this reason, I think, scraping and profile/
beading tools are more suited to the shap-
ing of texture within end-grain bowls.
However, you can see that the beads
to the right of the torn bead in the
image at right have a finer surface finish
and these were produced with the skew
chisel in scraping mode. The lower right
image shows the bowls produced for Cut beads. One bead shows badly torn grain.
this article as well as a pure bowl with-
out bead or cove turned texture, with all
having their own beauty.
The examples of rim profile and turned
texture are only a small sample of what
can be achieved. There is a plethora
of styles and ideas for you to experi-
ment with, so do spend time research-
ing ancient pottery, ceramics and the
items around you to see how turned or
moulded texture as been added.
Have fun turning and experiment-
ing and remember to stay safe while Finished bowls.
turning.
Rebuilding
DETAILS OF CRAFTSMANSHIP
a Stanley
No 52
A collectible in need of
some missing parts.
The Stanley tool company built both
the No 51 chute plane and the No
52 chute board from 1909 until 1943.
That makes any Stanley No 51 or 52
at least 80 years old. The plane it-
self has No 51 cast into its body. The
plane is designed to fit into a chute
so that its offset blade can slice away
end grain and produce perfect mi-
tres or any angle between 90° and
5°. Cabinetmakers often made their
own chute boards and hence only
required to outlay the cash to buy
the No 51 plane. However, Stanley
also offered a kit that included the No 51

chute plane and a board (with No 52 cast
into the chute).
In the dust-free days before disc sand-
ers a chute (or more often "shoot") plane
and board was king of the mitres and
was mounted on a bench and used daily
to tweak compound angle joinery.
CHANGING TIMES
The plane above sat on my bench before I
retired as a woodwork teacher. It is actu-
ally a composite of a plane I picked up at
a garage sale and a board that was rust-
ing away in the workshop cupboard. As
you can see there are components miss-
ing from the fence. The T-pin, hold-down
clamp, locking bolt and machine screw
are all missing. It is not surprising that
components get lost over a span of 80
The refurbished years. To get the fence to work I used a
3⁄ " Whitworth bolt as a pivot and anoth-
Stanley No 52 8
ready for action. er as a locking bolt.
After retiring from teaching, I

The bolt stock necked and then turned Using the tailstock to support the 3/8" The slot in the machine screw was cut with
down to 9.5mm diameter. Whitworth die as it cuts the thread. a hacksaw equipped with two blades.
dropped into the workshop to see how that I could turn and tap the missing and 30° stamped into the plate next to
the workshop was going. To my sur- components. This was when I realised the pin holes cast in the board. I also
prise the shooting plane and board were that the patent was originally awarded noticed an additional 3⁄8" Whitworth
in a cupboard and not on the teacher’s to Justus A Traut and Edmund A Shade thread tapped at the end of the travel
bench. in 1896. Stanley Tools bought the pat- of the fence. This allows the fence to
After a conversation I realised that ent and incorporated this clever tool swing at all angles from 30° to parallel
the tool was not appreciated or under- into its extensive catalogue. The mo- to the plane.
stood and was better off on my bench dus operandi of the Stanley Tool Com- A couple of hours at the metal lathe
at home instead of collecting dust in a pany was to buy out any competing had each new component built and the
cupboard. These days shooting boards company and shut down competition. shooting plane working like a charm.
have been replaced with drop saws and This business plan saw the
disc sanders. strength of mass produc-
tion create a near monop-
HANS BRUNNER TOOLS oly for Stanley.
Whenever I need to find out about an old Interestingly the com-
tool, I go to the Hans Brunner Tools web- pany stripped its catalogue
site (hansbrunnertools.com) and see what down to the bone in 1943
he has to say about it. The web page has so it could convert its fac-
three menu options - History, Dating and tory output to the manufac-
Buying. What I learnt directly was that ture of weapons for World
most Stanley No 52 shooting planes (the War 2. After the war, electric
misspelling of chute has become the stan- tools started to dominate
dard) is that the frog is the weakest part of workshops, and the need
the plane and that you need to make sure for specialised tools like the
that the frog is complete, not cracked, and No 51 and 52 waned.
is held in place with two bolts.
Hans also states that the T-pin and THE REBUILD
holddown clamps are often missing and The first step in the rebuild
that most Stanley No 52s on the market was to strip both the plane
were once in school workshops. In my and the board down to in-
experience Hans is well informed and dividual components. Each
encyclopaedic in his observations and component was then deep
knowledge. cleaned and, if required, re-
painted with black epoxy.
THE 1896 PATENT It was while stripping
The next step was to try and find the back the shooting board The 1896 patent drawing that was referred to when
original patent for the No 52 board so that I noticed the 90°, 45° machining the missing parts of the chute board.
FINISHING ROOM
A New Angle
on Chamfer Bits
A huge chamfer bit
has a lot of mass
and isn’t likely to
bog down.
The router bit I use the most: a chamfer chamfers. Most of the cutting edge was
bit is the one I think about the least. On unused.
one hand that’s good because it means the The cute little bit upfront caught my
bit does its job well. However, a little con- attention like a puppy at the pet store. It
Mid-size
45º chamfer templation about your options can lead to followed me home and practically lives in
bit. better results in our projects. the collet of my palm router.
45° IS A GIVEN. The chamfer bit you likely As for the other bit, it stands in reserve
have cuts 45° profiles. The result is a bal- waiting for larger chamfering duties. But I
This bit is anced, light-catching facet. That’s the also found it another role: joinery.
suited reason I reach for a chamfer bit. That I like making small boxes with mitred
for accent
chamfers. crisp glint transitions from one sur- corner joints. In workpieces that are 10mm
face of a project to another. The draw- thick or less, a chamfer bit cuts a clean,
ings on the top of the next page show the accurate mitre. And it’s easier to set up
range of functions that a chamfer fills. than a table saw.
THINK ABOUT SIZE. There’s more going on So what about that huge bit? I found it
behind that facet. As you can see in the in the workshop router bit drawer. I’m not
photo at left, chamfer bits come in several sure what project required that big of a bit.
sizes from tiny to supersized. The tempta- It’s there for scale. So unless you’re building
tion is to believe that larger bits are more bridges, it’s not a bit you need.
The standard 45° chamfer bit comes in a versatile and therefore the better value.
range of sizes. For simply easing an edge, I That’s the reasoning I had in selecting a A NEW ANGLE
suggest getting a small bit first. Add a mid- mid-size bit. However, I found that most On a recent dining table project, I wanted
size bit only as you need it. of the time I was easing edges with small to ease the edge, but I wanted something

Chamfer Uses.
different than a standard 45° chamfer. With
a little digging, I found chamfer bits in sev-
eral other angles. (For sources of the bits A chamfer on the lower
edge lightens the look
shown here, refer to page 73.) of a thick table top.
LAMINATE TRIMMER. The small bit shown
below is designed for trimming plastic
Chamfers
laminate flush with a surface and eas- can focus
attention
ing edges. You could just as easily use it inwards.
to create a small 25° chamfer on project
parts. Chamfers on
PICK AN ANGLE. The remaining three bits inside edges
create depth.
come from Infinity Cutting Tools, but you
can find similar bits from other makers.
The angles shown are 15°, 22.5° and 30°.
The samples show how a subtle change in Small chamfers
soften edges.
angle affects the look of the profile.
No, you don’t need all of them. I sug-
Chamfer the bottom
gest picking one to use as a contrast to a of table legs to prevent
splintering when
regular chamfer. sliding across a floor.
FLIP IT. One last thing. With non-standard
chamfer bits, you really get two profiles in
Simple repeated
one. If you change the orientation of the chamfer details
workpiece in relation to the bit, you end help create a
contemporary look
up with its complementary angle. (Dig for this coffee table.
back to high school geometry for more.)
A chamfered edge plays nicely with a
wide variety of design styles. And for such
a simple detail, there’s a lot of room to
explore how to use a chamfer in the proj-
ects you build. W
A small 25° bit eases

edges with a subtle facet.
The two samples made with this

A shallow A 22.5° bit can 30° bit highlight the different
15° chamfer be used to make looks you can get by simply
enhances the eight-sided boxes changing the orientation of the
thickness of a as well as add workpiece when routing the
project part. a chamfer to a profile. This applies to the other
workpiece. bits shown here, too.
Q&A
Heading
Screws
There are lots of rea-
sons why screws are
"headed". It looks
good but also allows
a boatbuilder to know
where to position his
screwdriver when he
removes a plank.
Garan Hale won this year’s WOOTHA
Furniture award with his magnificent
Stella stool. The stool is gorgeous and Garan Hale "headed" the wedges on his magnificent Stella stool (see page 21) to avoid
really should be bought by the National splitting the seat when the leg tenon expanded in its mortice.
Gallery and put on permanent exhibi-
tion. Other countries around the world Screws are usually "headed" when ing with the planks, however boat
exhibit furniture (The Hermitage in St they are driven home to hold a hinge. screws are usually counterbored as well
Petersburg has a George Nakashima This can be seen in the piano hinge be- as countersunk in position. The counter-
chair on display). low. The slots in the screws all line up bore will be plugged with solid timber
One thing that caught my eye when I with the pin of the hinge. This is a neat or caulking; hence the alignment of the
was admiring the stool was the thought way to "tidy up" the installation of the slots will be hidden. This is where the
that Garan had put into "heading" his screws and shows that the person who discipline of traditional boatbuilding
wedges. The wedges cut across the grain assembled the piano was careful as well kicks in.
in the leg and then sit perpendicular to as being thoughtful. A modern boatbuilder will presume
the grain of the carved seat. This means Heading large boatbuilding bronze that the plank he needs to remove and
that the legs and the seat won’t split as screws is done for yet another reason. replace will have been screwed home
the wedges are driven home. Sure enough they will look neat align- with the screws "headed" in the direc-
tion of the plank. All he (or she) has to
do is centre the blade of the screwdriver
in line with the plank and in the middle
of the caulking (or plug) and strike the
screwdriver with a mallet. It will split
the plug or caulking and land smack
bang in the slot of the screw. The screw
can then be turned counterclockwise
and removed from the plank and the
frame. When a replacement plank is
screwed home, it too will have the screw
slots headed so a future boatbuilder can
remove the plank when need be.
Heading wedges and screws is done
for lots of reasons.

Q&A
Letting Light Through
Robert Howard's updated Artists' Statement for his WOOTHA prize-winning
lamp shade is so insightful we decided to print it in full.
Robert Howard is a Brisbane-based a thickness of less than 3mm (approx " rial for many carvers. They are simply
woodworker with a talent for carving in the old money). This has posed a con- not big enough. Larger blocks, howev-
and a passion for communicating the siderable technical challenge, whereby er, face the problem of cracks to an ad-
craft. Robert runs classes from his stu- the entire project could be ruined by one vanced degree for many reasons, but in
dio in South Brisbane (furniture making, careless gouge cut. particular because of the very long time
turning, burning, instrument making as Fitting in with the exhibition theme required to air dry such large volumes
well as carving). If you go to his website of Dovetails was theoretically easy, but of material.
(roberthoward.com.au) you can see ex- again, technically difficult. It has also I have come to simply accept the fact
amples of his awesome talent as well as a allowed me to use a technique that has that wood cracks, and have decided to
description of the courses he has on offer. long been used to allow furnituremak- live with it. I will either glue them up -
No experience neccessary: just an open ers to use wood that would otherwise be fill them with epoxy if they are large - or
mind ready to start a journey into the unusable. use the method that was re-introduced
wonderful world of working with wood. All wood shrinks as it dries, and while to modern woodworkers by a Japanese
the amount of shrinkage is different in American architect and furniture maker,
MALENY WOOD SHOW each direction (around the tree, across George Nakashima: the butterfly, bow
STATEMENT TO ACCOMPANY ENTRY the tree, and in the length, or height of tie or double dovetail. You can see two
The first light I carved was made with the tree), nevertheless figures exist for of these used to stabilise a crack in this
Australian Red Cedar, and it taught me the shrinkage rates of each tree species. nightshade. Others have been glued.
a very good lesson. A light like this is This shrinkage causes problems be- Needless to say, fitting these on com-
meant to be seen. Because the cedar did cause of these differences, and because pound curved surfaces is not something
not allow any light to pass through it, it the wood does not lose moisture at the to be attempted without a large quantity
became essentially invisible at night. This same rate in all directions (moisture es- of patience.
produced the absurd situation where I capes most easily through the ends of- I have also decided to incorporate an
needed a light to shine on the light. boards or logs). These differences cause old fashioned method of height adjust-
The answer was to work with a wood stresses to build up in the wood, result- ment, using a couple of pulleys and a
that became translucent when it was ing too often in the formation of cracks. counterweight. A puzzle many might
thin. That is why I have chosen to work The losses of usable wood have been like to puzzle over is why the counter-
with Huon Pine. minimised in the production of boards, weight has to be twice as heavy as the
To be translucent it has to be carved to but boards are not the preferred mate- light itself.
SOURCES
CONTACT DETAILS
Carbatec
carbatec.com.au
1800 658 111
WA: 1800 886 657
NZ: 0800 444 329
glue line bits
Carroll's Woodcraft Supplies

cwsonline.com.au
03 5243 0522
multi tip hollowing scraper
Japanese Tools Australia

japanesetools.com.au
02 9527 3870
HARDWARE & SUPPLIES SOURCES books, pull saws
Lie-Nielsen Toolworks Australia

lie-nielsen.com.au
REVERSIBLE GLUE LINE BITS vinyl paints, however for a truly traditional look 0418 842 974
Timbecon stocks the popular Freud Glue Line a chalk paint will not disappoint. dowel plate
Profile Router Bit. Carbatec stocks two styles SERPENTINE CHEST

of glue line bits, a bargain basement Arden bit McJing Tools
A website worth visiting when looking for
that will do the job and a premium CMT bit mcjing.com.au
drawer pulls is Mon Petit Palais Designs. This
02 9709 8805
that will last for ages. The trick with using glue Perth-based company specialises in cabinetry
inlay kits
line bits is to clamp your boards firmly against candy and stocks an amazing range of gor-
the router table and fence so that any bow in geous knobs that will enhance any cabinet. Mon Petit Palais Designs
the boards is ironed out as the edge runs past
the cutter. This will mean the bow in the board BOWL DESIGN monpetitpalaisdesignsau.com
will be completely removed when it is locked Bead cutting scrapers are available in 6, 9, 0416 799 356
tight against its neighbour. Obviously, all edges 12 and 16mm widths. Carroll's Woodcraft cabinet hardware
need to be planed flush and true. It is only a Supplies carries a Robert Sorby two-ended
high-speed tool steel cutter that screws into Porters Paints
bow that can be ironed out.
the multi-tip hollowing tool (RS200KT). The porterspaints.com
INSTALLING A PRE-HUNG DOOR cutter comes in two sizes ¼” and ½” or 3/8” 1800 656 664
The clever Winbag inflatable wedge was and 5/8”. The advantage that the interchange- chalk paint
purchased from Bunnings. A simple but very able cutters have over a standard tool is ease
effective tool that can be adjusted with the of sharpening. All you need to do is hone the Timbecon
tap of a foot. Traditionally two wedges would face of the cutter on a diamond stone and the timbecon.com.au
be used in concert, one opposing the other so edge is ready for action. Cutting beads with a 1300 880 996
they can slide over each other and lift the door beading tool is the way to go when turning a glue line bits
to the correct height. The Winbag has the bowl.
advantage of sitting still while being pumped, Trend Timbers
A NEW ANGLE ON CHAMFERS
unlike wedges that have to be held still while trendtimbers.com.au
Chamfer bits are symmetrical and will cut per-
being adjusted. 02 4577 5277
fect 45° angles that soften an edge and stop
wetstone grinders
CASUAL COFFEE TABLE it from splintering. When you move into the
Chalk paints are the perfect call when you world of bevel cutting bits you get the oppor-
Vesper Tools Australia
want to create a distressed or weathered look tunity to cut a splay or bevel on the face or the
vespertools.com.au
on a piece of furniture. Porters Paints has a side of an edge. Timbecon stocks Freud 15°
0400 062 656
range of traditional chalk paints in pastel tones and 45° chamfer moulding bits while Carbatec
sliding bevels
that you can check out on their website. You has a range of CMT 45°, 30°, 22.5° and 15°
can achieve similar effects with water-based bits in stock.
Q&A
Bandsaw
Blade Tooth Count
Bandsaw blades are made in 1⁄ 8", 3 ⁄ 8", and 1⁄ 2" widths. It seems they are still
manufactured in English standard units. What I was wondering is what TPI do
you recommend? David Molnar
TPI (teeth per inch) is one of three main
considerations when choosing a bandsaw
blade (along with blade width and tooth
configuration). Fortunately, determining
the best TPI for a given blade isn’t really
all that complicated. But there are a couple
of points to be aware of.
The first rule of thumb is that the num-
ber of teeth per inch will be dictated some-
what by the thickness of the stock you’re
cutting. Let me explain.
MINIMUM NUMBER. In order to avoid dam-
aging the teeth of a bandsaw blade, want to use a blade with a higher TPI. generally want the coarsest tooth count
there should always be a minimum of Here, the key point to remember is that you can find (2 or 3 TPI). The larger gul-
three teeth in the stock. So for example, a blade with more teeth per inch will cut lets of the coarser blade will help remove
when cutting 19mm-thick stock, you slower, but will also leave a smoother sawdust more efficiently.
want a blade with at least 4 TPI. For thin- surface. So if you’re cutting close to a Keep in mind that these are just general
ner stock, you’ll need a blade with more line and don’t want to have to do a lot of rules, not precise formulas. Retailers typi-
teeth per inch. The drawings above illus- clean-up sanding, having more teeth is cally stock only a few different TPI selec-
trate this concept. better than fewer. tions in each blade width, so you just have
But this really is just a minimum. On the other hand, if you’re resawing to choose the one that’s closest to your
Depending on the task at hand, you may wide stock, or sawing green wood, you intended use.

LOOKING INSIDE
Spliced Puzzle Joint. John Bullar performs a
woodwork miracle with this intriguing joint.
All you need to know starts on page 30.
Serpentine Chest. This flowing chest of drawers

is a modern take on a traditional piece and
catches the eye without showing off. Step-by-
step instructions begin on page 42.
Final Details
Exploring Bowl Design. Mark Sanger gets into the detail of form and
simple decorative effects. Turn to page 58 to find out more.
Table Saw Cabinet. Providing a home for blades, inserts Casual Coffee Table. The laid-back vibe of this table invites you to put
and more, this cabinet is the perfect companion for your your feet up and relax - or set up for the weekly game night. All
time at the table saw. Turn to page 52 to get started. you need to know begins on page 30.

Australian Woodsmith - Issue 17 7 2023

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Australian Woodsmith - Issue 17 7 2023

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

AUSTRALIAN

PROJECTS • PLANS • EXPERT TECHNIQUES • STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Tiny Treasures p20

ISSUE. 177 | $11.50

Limited quantities for a limited time only.

Need some advice to tackle your next

ADELAIDE BRISBANE HOBART MELBOURNE PERTH SYDNEY

WL1220A Midi Wood Lathe

Woodturning Tools + Machinery

VIC WA | NT | TAS | ACT | SA NSW QLD

➥ FREE Email Tips Australian Woodsmith acknowledges the Cammeraygal people,

No. 177 July 2023

PARAGON MEDIA PTY LIMITED

INTERNATIONAL EDITOR Bryan Nelson

EXECUTIVE ART DIRECTOR Todd Lambirth

Tips & Techniques

6 • Australian Woodsmith / No. 177

Discover the joy of carving

DOWEL CUTTING SLED

GIFKINS DOVETAIL The only Australian made dovetail jig!

USE THE QR CODE TO VIEW OUR CHANNEL 0411 283 802

BeaverCraft Bear Carving Kit

600-grit plate that further refines the

Cool Tools, Books and Gear

12 • Australian Woodsmith / No. 177

Frontline Panel Clamps Bayswater VIC 3153

charcoal. Industrialisation took the craft

$289 $1399 $200

4Pce Woodturning System Woodturning Tool Roll Holder

14 • Australian Woodsmith / No. 177

Helps prevent costly damage

A powerful, precision automatic tuning

HUGE range of Spiral Cutter Retro-fits currently available. &DOORUHPDLOXVWRILQGD6SLUDO&XWWHUWRVXLW\RXUPDFKLQH

R.D.G. INTERNATIONAL AGENCIES

The Maleny Wood Expo "from seed to

16 • Australian Woodsmith / No. 177

Gerald Rensen from Jesse Engineering showcased his clever ball

18 • Australian Woodsmith / No. 177

Robert Howard. Lily Light. Recovered

the light is switched on. I estimate that this

Garan Hale. Stella.

TINY TREASURES PRIZE

20 • Australian Woodsmith / No. 177

Glue Joint Bit

22 • Australian Woodsmith / No. 177

FINDING THE HEIGHT

24 • Australian Woodsmith / No. 177

26 • Australian Woodsmith / No. 177

SHIMS & FASTENERS

30 • Australian Woodsmith / No. 177

2 For accurate joinery work, you need

3 As well as each surface being straight

and flat, they all need to be accurate-

4 Choose which piece of wood is go-

5 If you use a bevel gauge to mark

6 Mark the tail sides against the bevel

8 Saw the sides of the twin tails to

Between the tails

12 When I am chopping sockets

13 Take the wood with the newly

14 Back on the bandsaw, the sides

15 The bandsaw blade must run

16 Because these sockets are nar-

Fitting the joint